Bucharest and eight counties battered with strong winds, heavy downpours in past 24 hours

The strong winds and heavy downpours have left their mark on Bucharest and another eight counties - Arges, Caras-Severin, Dolj, Giurgiu, Gorj, Prahova, Teleorman and Valcea - in the past 24 hours, tearing down trees and leaving several basements and courtyards drenched, the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations said in a release on Thursday morning.

The firefighters stepped in to remove the consequences of the adverse weather, draining the water from buildings and clearing dozens of trees fallen on cars in parking lots, but also on carriageways, in the counties of Gorj and Dolj.

The Weather Service extended on Thursday the Code Yellow nowcasting warning for the counties of Constanta and Tulcea.

There is also a nationwide advisory of atmospheric instability in force, warning of torrential downpours, frequent lightning, wind gales and hail in spots in the country south, center and south-east, as well as in the mountain areas, with rainfall amounts expected to temporarily exceed 15 - 25 l/sqm.