Apele Romane: Local authorities must remove waste from water courses

The local authorities must verify and immediately remove the waste and wooden materials from the river banks and watercourses, wherever they are, the Apele Romane (Romanian Waters) National Administration (ANAR) said in a press release sent to AGERPRES on Friday.

The announcement of the specialists from Apele Romane came in the context in which the hydrologists issued new alerts for flood for several rivers nationwide.

"The specialists from Apele Romane constantly take the necessary measures to maintain the watercourses, according to the water management programme. Due to the abundant rainfall forecasted, ANAR warns the local authorities that there is a chance the waste remaining on the river banks blocks the water flows and cause floods with a major local impact. That's why the local authorities are being warned to check and immediately remove the waste and wooden materials from the river banks and watercourses. Moreover, they must verify the manner in which the digs and gutters to ensure the drainage of the rainwater," said the said source.

The National Institute of Hydrology and Water Management (INHGA) on Friday issued a Code Orange alert for flood valid until Monday for rivers in 17 counties and also two Code Yellows for flash floods for 23 watercourses.

The hygrographic basins impacted by the hydrological warnings issued on Friday are: Viseu, Iza, Tur, Somes, Mures, Crisuri, Bega Veche, Bega, Timis, Barzava, Moravita, Caras, Nera, Cerna, Drincea, Desnatui, Jiu, Olt, Suceava, Moldova, Bistrita, Trotus and Prut.

The alerts were sent to the river basin units under the subordination of ANAR, the River Basin Management (Somes-Tisa, Crisuri, Mures, Banat, Jiu, Olt, Siret, Prut-Barlad), which, in their turn, sent information to the Water Management Systems (under the subordination of the River Basin Management), as well as the County Inspectorates for Emergency Situations (IJSU) and the local authorities.