/ 25 August 2005

Death toll from Romanian floods rises

Heavy flooding has claimed the lives of 13 people in Romania over the past three days and three more are missing, the country’s interior minister said on Thursday, warning that the toll could rise further.

Detailing the extent of the disaster, Vasile Blaga said nearly 2 000 people have been evacuated from their homes over the past two weeks and 400 houses have been swept away by flood waters.

He said authorities have deployed nearly 10 000 troops and police to help rescue operations, while the Cabinet, meeting in emergency session on Thursday, offered â,¬370 000 to help reconstruction efforts.

The latest victims brought the toll from extreme weather to 31 since August 14 and to 66 since the beginning of this year, Braga said.

Most were elderly people swept away by the currents of raging rivers.

”Unfortunately, we are expecting the number of victims to rise hour by hour,” Blaga said at a news conference, although flood waters are starting to recede.

”Our priority is the safety of residents. For that reason, we have deployed nearly 10 000 military troops and police to help in rescue operations,” Blaga added.

”The damage from flooding since the beginning of the year runs to more than â,¬1,5-billion.”

The central Romanian region of Harghita has been worst hit, with rainfall there at times reaching an intensity of more than 100 litres per square metre in a period of just 15 minutes.

Normal rainfall for August is a total of 150 litres.

The weather is expected to improve over the coming days and flood waters to begin receding.

Romania has been the country worst affected by the floods in central Europe this summer, with the highest death toll.

In July, the country experienced its worst flooding in 30 years, leaving 24 people dead and causing damage estimated at â,¬650-million. — Sapa-AFP