Over 10,800 firefighters, policemen and gendarmes in action in counties covered by weather and hydrological warnings

More than 10,800 firefighters, policemen and gendarmes have been deployed to and are taking action this Saturday at the sites under weather and hydrological warnings, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MAI) said in a release.

The National Meteorological Administration has issued a new countrywide warning of atmospheric instability that is likely to produce tornadoes, heavy downpours, squalls and hail, effective as of Saturday at 10:00 hrs till June 4 at 10:00 hrs. A Code Orange alert of heavy rain and temporary atmospheric instability has also been issued for four counties in northern Moldavia: Botosani, Iasi, Neamt and Suceava, effective until Sunday at 6.00 am.

According to the Interior Ministry, the effects of the extreme weather still persist in 44 localities in the counties of Arges, Bacau, Bistrita-Nasaud, Buzau, Calarasi, Cluj, Dambovita, Galati, Giurgiu, Hunedoara, Ilfov, Iasi, Mures, Neamt, Prahova, Vaslui and Vrancea, and in Bucharest, where a total of 243 houses, 100 courtyards, nine cellars / basements and two public institution buildings have been affected.

A family of five - a mother and four young children - was swept away by a flash flood in Sangeru - Prahova County, on Friday. The mother was rescued, but three of the children were later found dead and one is still missing; firefighters, policemen and gendarmes continue searching for the fourth child, the MAI said.

Personnel of the Ministry of Internal Affairs continue working in Bucharest and in 14 counties (Arges, Bacau, Bistrita-Nasaud, Buzau, Calarasi, Cluj, Dambovita, Hunedoara, Ialomita, Iasi, Ilfov, Prahova, Vaslui and Vrancea) to drain the water from homes, remove the trees fallen on cars or roadways, unclog wells, supply drinking water to communities where necessary.

The MAI National Integrated Management Center stays activated, complemented by the Task Force of the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations. All categories of means and equipment are kept operational for a fast response and permanent service was ordered at the mayoralties in the areas covered by warnings of dangerous hydrological and weather phenomena; accommodation space for people in difficulty is also being identified, the MAI states.

On Friday the Prahova Inspectorate for Emergency Situations upped its operational capacity to Level IV - Red alert, three subunits of the Arges Inspectorate for Emergency Situations also went to Level II - Blue Alert.

Operational groups are activated at the Inspectorates for Emergency Situations in 23 counties (Alba, Arges, Bacau, Braila, Botosani, Brasov, Buzau, Caras-Severin, Covasna, Dambovita, Gorj, Giurgiu, Harghita, Ialomita, Iasi, Neamt, Olt , Prahova, Sibiu, Suceava, Teleorman, Valcea and Vaslui).

The County Intervention Management and Coordination Centers are activated in 13 counties (Arges, Bacau, Braila, Buzau, Caras-Severin, Covasna, Dambovita, Giurgiu, Ialomita, Neamt, Prahova, Suceava and Teleorman).

The County Committees for Emergency Situations convened in extraordinary meetings in three counties (Botosani, Neamt and Suceava) and warning messages have been sent through the RO-ALERT system to the population of the Buzau, Botosani, Neamt and Prahova counties, the MAI release also states.