2010 Romanian floods
Encyclopedia
The 2010 Romanian floods were the result of an extreme weather
event that struck Romania
in late June 2010. Currently, at least 21 people died. The north-east of the country, especially Suceava County
was most affected. Also affected was the Chernivtsi Oblast
in neighbouring Ukraine
.
On 29th the River Siret
threatened to break through the dykes protecting the town of Şendreni, as locals and emergency services reinforced the dykes with sandbags trucks foull of prevent the river breaking out and flooding the town.
Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc
visited the area, touring Suceava
and Botoşani
counties, both hard-hit by flooding and still under weather advisories. Officials said hundreds of people have been forced from their homes, dozens of houses have collapsed and hundreds of homes were partially damaged.
According to an IGSU press release, the storms and flooding affected the counties of Alba
, Arad
, Bacău
, Botoşani
, Brașov
, Cluj
, Hunedoara
, Iași
, Mehedinţi
, Neamț
, Olt
, Prahova
, Sălaj
, Sibiu
, Suceava
, Timiş
, Tulcea
, Vâlcea
and Vrancea
.
One person in Alba County
died and at least 160 people all over the country were evacuated.
Romanian Interior Minister Vasile Blaga
said that two people in Cluj County
lost their lives.
The north-eastern town of Dorohoi
witnessed 6 deaths in the night of June 28–29 as floods rose to just over 1 metre, 3,3 feet in some places. Several roads into Dorohoi remained either washed away or under water. The heavy rain that had been falling for much of the past week in the Balkan country and forecasters have warned that it will continue in northeast Romania until Wednesday morning. The emergency situations spokeswoman Dorina Lupu from Botoşani judet
said unusually heavy rain had killed 6 people, most in the town of Dorohoi on the 29th.
On July 5, 2010, the Danube
in Galaţi
recorded a flow rate of 676 cm (76 cm above the rate of flooding) and a flow of 16,055 m/s. At Şendreni
, Siret
had a rate of 728 cm (78 cm over the danger level). The local emergency services renforced the dykes in the afternoon and narrowly averted any more flooding. It was flooded during the July 2010 flood as was its names sake in Galaţi County
.
In Galaţi, the city was building a dam 1.5 m high, 4.5 km long, with the support of 1,400 military personnel from the Ministry of Administration and Interior and the Ministry of Defence. If the dam breaches, the resulting flood would drown one-quarter of the city, including its shipyard, port and customs office. Nearly 12,000 jobs exist in the area, and about €45 million is lost daily and around €250 million in property losses have been caused by the flooding in Galaţi.
border. They spent the night in schools and sports halls or with relatives.
On June 30, 2010, 21 people were killed by the flood in Romania and Ukraine while another 9,500 people were evacuated, according to authorities from both countries. The majority of victims were Romanians; 1 Ukrainian was killed by the flood and 1,083 were evacuated.
and Ukraine
had yet to asses the crisis in there flooded regions.
Three trains were stuck in northeastern Suceava county, due to the flooding of a 50-meter railroad segment. A southwestern customs in Mehedinţi County
was flooded, and alluvial deposits were reported on two national roads in northeastern Neamţ County
. Floods spawned by heavy rainfall also affected thousands of acres of pasture and farmland, roads, bridges and power lines in the rural areas in the northeastern part of the country.
has sent in a letter to Traian Băsescu
with his condolences for the victims of floods. Daisaku Ikeda
of Japan also offered his condolences.
Extreme weather
Extreme weather includes weather phenomena that are at the extremes of the historical distribution, especially severe or unseasonal weather. The most commonly used definition of extreme weather is based on an event's climatological distribution. Extreme weather occurs only 5% or less of the time...
event that struck Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
in late June 2010. Currently, at least 21 people died. The north-east of the country, especially Suceava County
Suceava County
Suceava is a county of Romania, in the historical region of Moldavia and few villages in Transylvania, with the capital city at Suceava.- Demographics :...
was most affected. Also affected was the Chernivtsi Oblast
Chernivtsi Oblast
Chernivtsi Oblast is an oblast in western Ukraine, bordering on Romania and Moldova. It has a large variety of landforms: the Carpathian Mountains and picturesque hills at the foot of the mountains gradually change to a broad partly forested plain situated between the Dniester and Prut rivers....
in neighbouring Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
.
On 29th the River Siret
Siret River
The Siret or Sireth is a river that rises from the Carpathians in the Northern Bukovina region of Ukraine, and flows southward into Romania for 470 km before it joins the Danube...
threatened to break through the dykes protecting the town of Şendreni, as locals and emergency services reinforced the dykes with sandbags trucks foull of prevent the river breaking out and flooding the town.
Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc
Emil Boc
Emil Boc is the Prime Minister of Romania, having served since December 2008. In June 2004, he was elected Mayor of Cluj-Napoca, the largest city in Transylvania. Boc is also the president of the Democratic Liberal Party, who designated him as Prime Minister in 2008. On October 13, 2009, his...
visited the area, touring Suceava
Suceava County
Suceava is a county of Romania, in the historical region of Moldavia and few villages in Transylvania, with the capital city at Suceava.- Demographics :...
and Botoşani
Botosani County
Botoșani is a county of Romania, in Moldavia, with the capital city at Botoșani.-Demographics:In 2002, it had a population of 452,834 and the population density was 91/km2.*Romanians – – the highest percentage of Romanians in Romania...
counties, both hard-hit by flooding and still under weather advisories. Officials said hundreds of people have been forced from their homes, dozens of houses have collapsed and hundreds of homes were partially damaged.
According to an IGSU press release, the storms and flooding affected the counties of Alba
Alba County
Alba is a county of Romania, in Transylvania, its capital city being Alba-Iulia with a population of 66,406.- Demographics :In 2002, it had a population of 382,747 and the population density was 61/km².* Romanians - 90.4%* Hungarians - 5.4%...
, Arad
Arad County
Arad is an administrative division of Romania roughly translated into county in the western part of the country on the border with Hungary, mostly in the region of Crişana and few villages in Banat. The administrative center of the county lies in the city of Arad...
, Bacău
Bacau County
Bacău is a county of Romania, in Moldavia, with its capital city at Bacău. It has one commune, Ghimeş-Făget, in Transylvania.-Demographics:In 2002, it had a population of 706,623 and the population density was 113/km²....
, Botoşani
Botosani County
Botoșani is a county of Romania, in Moldavia, with the capital city at Botoșani.-Demographics:In 2002, it had a population of 452,834 and the population density was 91/km2.*Romanians – – the highest percentage of Romanians in Romania...
, Brașov
Brasov County
Brașov ; ) is a county of Romania, in Transylvania, with the capital city at Brașov. The county incorporates within its boundaries most of the Medieval "lands" Burzenland and Făgăraș Land.-Demographics:...
, Cluj
Cluj County
Cluj ; is a county of Romania, in Transylvania, with the capital city at Cluj-Napoca.-Demographics:In 2007, it had a population of 692,316 and a population density of 104/km².*Romanians – 80%*Hungarians – 17.5%*Roma – 2.5%-Geography:...
, Hunedoara
Hunedoara County
Hunedoara is a county of Romania, in Transylvania, with its capital city at Deva.-Demographics:In 2002, it had a population of 485,712 and the population density was 69/km².*Romanians - 92%*Hungarians - 5%*Romas - 2%*Germans under 1%....
, Iași
Iasi County
Iași is a county of Romania, in Moldavia, with the administrative seat at Iași.-Demographics:As of 1 July 2007, Iași County had a population of 825,100, making it the second most populous county in Romania after Bucharest, with a population density of 150/km².*Romanians - 98.1%*Roma -...
, Mehedinţi
Mehedinti County
Mehedinţi is a county of Romania. It is mostly located in the historical province of Oltenia, with one municipality and three communes located in the Banat...
, Neamț
Neamt County
Neamț is a county of Romania, in the historic region of Moldavia, with the county seat at Piatra Neamț. It has three communes, Bicaz-Chei, Bicazu Ardelean and Dămuc in Transylvania.-Demographics:...
, Olt
Olt County
Olt is a county of Romania, in the historical regions of Oltenia and Muntenia . The capital city is Slatina.- Demographics :In 2002, it had a population of 489,274 and the population density was 89/km²....
, Prahova
Prahova County
Prahova is a county of Romania, in the historical region Muntenia, with the capital city at Ploieşti.-Demographics:In 2002, it had a population of 829,945 and the population density was 176/km². It is Romania's most populated county, having a population density double than the country's mean...
, Sălaj
Salaj County
Sălaj is a county of Romania, in the historical regions of Crișana and Transylvania, with the capital city at Zalău.-Geography:Sălaj county has a total area of ....
, Sibiu
Sibiu County
Sibiu is a county of Romania, in the historical region Transylvania, with the capital city Sibiu.-Demographics:In 2002, it had a population of 421,724 and the population density was 78/km²....
, Suceava
Suceava County
Suceava is a county of Romania, in the historical region of Moldavia and few villages in Transylvania, with the capital city at Suceava.- Demographics :...
, Timiş
Timis County
Timiș , , Banat Bulgarian: ) is a county of western Romania, in the historical region Banat, with the county seat at Timișoara. It is the largest county in Romania in terms of land area....
, Tulcea
Tulcea County
Tulcea is a county of Romania, in the historical region Dobruja, with the capital city at Tulcea.-Demographics:In 2002, Tulcea County had a population of 256,492...
, Vâlcea
Vâlcea County
Vâlcea is a county of Romania, in the historical regions of Oltenia and Muntenia...
and Vrancea
Vrancea County
Vrancea is a county in Romania, with its seat at Focşani. It is mostly in the historical region of Moldavia but the southern part, below the Milcov River, is in Muntenia.-Demographics:...
.
One person in Alba County
Alba County
Alba is a county of Romania, in Transylvania, its capital city being Alba-Iulia with a population of 66,406.- Demographics :In 2002, it had a population of 382,747 and the population density was 61/km².* Romanians - 90.4%* Hungarians - 5.4%...
died and at least 160 people all over the country were evacuated.
Romanian Interior Minister Vasile Blaga
Vasile Blaga
Vasile Blaga is a Romanian politician and the current Speaker of the Upper Chamber of the Romanian Parliament, the Senate, and a former Minister of Regional Development and Housing and twice former Minister of Administration and Internal Affairs....
said that two people in Cluj County
Cluj County
Cluj ; is a county of Romania, in Transylvania, with the capital city at Cluj-Napoca.-Demographics:In 2007, it had a population of 692,316 and a population density of 104/km².*Romanians – 80%*Hungarians – 17.5%*Roma – 2.5%-Geography:...
lost their lives.
The north-eastern town of Dorohoi
Dorohoi
Dorohoi is a city in the Botoşani County, Romania, on the right bank of the Jijia River, which broadens into a lake on the north.Dorohoi used to be a market for the timber and farm produce of the north Moldavian highlands; merchants from the neighboring states flocked to its great fair, held on...
witnessed 6 deaths in the night of June 28–29 as floods rose to just over 1 metre, 3,3 feet in some places. Several roads into Dorohoi remained either washed away or under water. The heavy rain that had been falling for much of the past week in the Balkan country and forecasters have warned that it will continue in northeast Romania until Wednesday morning. The emergency situations spokeswoman Dorina Lupu from Botoşani judet
Botosani County
Botoșani is a county of Romania, in Moldavia, with the capital city at Botoșani.-Demographics:In 2002, it had a population of 452,834 and the population density was 91/km2.*Romanians – – the highest percentage of Romanians in Romania...
said unusually heavy rain had killed 6 people, most in the town of Dorohoi on the 29th.
On July 5, 2010, the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
in Galaţi
Galati
Galați is a city and municipality in Romania, the capital of Galați County. Located in the historical region of Moldavia, in the close vicinity of Brăila, Galați is the largest port and sea port on the Danube River and the second largest Romanian port....
recorded a flow rate of 676 cm (76 cm above the rate of flooding) and a flow of 16,055 m/s. At Şendreni
Frumusica, Botosani
Frumuşica is a commune in Botoşani County, Romania. It is composed of six villages: Boscoteni, Frumuşica, Rădeni, Storeşti, Şendreni and Vlădeni-Deal....
, Siret
Siret
Siret is a town in Romania, Suceava County, one of the oldest towns in, and a former capital of, the former principality of Moldavia. It is located 2 km from the border with Ukraine, being one of the main border passing points in the North of the country, having both a road border post and a...
had a rate of 728 cm (78 cm over the danger level). The local emergency services renforced the dykes in the afternoon and narrowly averted any more flooding. It was flooded during the July 2010 flood as was its names sake in Galaţi County
Galati County
Galaţi is a county of Romania, in Moldavia region, with the capital city at Galaţi.-History:Historically Galaţi is part of Moldavia...
.
In Galaţi, the city was building a dam 1.5 m high, 4.5 km long, with the support of 1,400 military personnel from the Ministry of Administration and Interior and the Ministry of Defence. If the dam breaches, the resulting flood would drown one-quarter of the city, including its shipyard, port and customs office. Nearly 12,000 jobs exist in the area, and about €45 million is lost daily and around €250 million in property losses have been caused by the flooding in Galaţi.
Casualties
The flooding has affected 1,873 homes and farms, 1,065 hectares of farmland, 1,928 hectares of forest and pasture, two kilometers of national roads, of county roads, of communal roads and clogged 424 wells. Authorities say at least 21 people have died and three are missing after heavy rains and flooding in northeastern Romania. Hundreds of people had to be evacuated from their homes, mainly in Suceava and Botoşani departments, close to the UkrainianUkraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
border. They spent the night in schools and sports halls or with relatives.
On June 30, 2010, 21 people were killed by the flood in Romania and Ukraine while another 9,500 people were evacuated, according to authorities from both countries. The majority of victims were Romanians; 1 Ukrainian was killed by the flood and 1,083 were evacuated.
Losses
The Romanian Interior Minister Vasile Blaga told parliament that losses were the equivalent to 0.6 % GDP. The agriculture ministry has estimated that of 6,700,000 tonnes of wheat for and 2,000,000 hectares of land were by the 30th. MoldovaMoldova
Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
and Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
had yet to asses the crisis in there flooded regions.
Effects
Most of the victims drowned when they were trying to escape, while two people were struck by lightning.Three trains were stuck in northeastern Suceava county, due to the flooding of a 50-meter railroad segment. A southwestern customs in Mehedinţi County
Mehedinti County
Mehedinţi is a county of Romania. It is mostly located in the historical province of Oltenia, with one municipality and three communes located in the Banat...
was flooded, and alluvial deposits were reported on two national roads in northeastern Neamţ County
Neamt County
Neamț is a county of Romania, in the historic region of Moldavia, with the county seat at Piatra Neamț. It has three communes, Bicaz-Chei, Bicazu Ardelean and Dămuc in Transylvania.-Demographics:...
. Floods spawned by heavy rainfall also affected thousands of acres of pasture and farmland, roads, bridges and power lines in the rural areas in the northeastern part of the country.
Emergency response
Local emergency committees and volunteer emergency services rallied 530 firefighters and 160 volunteers, who took part in damage control efforts. Russia has also delivered 70 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Ukraine in response to the flooding.Reaction
French President Nicolas SarkozyNicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
has sent in a letter to Traian Băsescu
Traian Basescu
Traian Băsescu is the current President of Romania. After serving as the mayor of Bucharest from June 2000 until December 2004, he was elected president in the Romanian Presidential Elections of 2004 and inaugurated on December 20, 2004...
with his condolences for the victims of floods. Daisaku Ikeda
Daisaku Ikeda
is president of Sōka Gakkai International , a Nichiren Buddhist lay association which claims 12 million members in 192 countries and territories, and founder of several educational, cultural and peace research institutions.-Life and establishment of SGI:...
of Japan also offered his condolences.
See also
- Global storm activity of 2010Global storm activity of 2010The former article was split into three to avoid confusion between the three periods of storm activity.*Global storm activity of early 2010 – January–April 2010*Global storm activity of mid 2010 – May–September 2010...
- The Northern Hemisphere Summer heat wave of 2010