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Situation still critical in flood-hit Romania

© AlerNet/Reuters: Mihai Barbu

Romanian soldiers reinforce a sandbag dyke in the flooded village of Manastirea, Romania, April 30, 2006.

Source: ACT International

In a May 17 written update to the Geneva-based ACT Coordinating Office, Rev. Miklós Ménessy, AIDRom's Emergency Unit Coordinator, reports that needs remain high especially in Dolj and Calarasi counties, which were the most affected among the 12 counties in southern Romania hit by the floods.

The floods began in mid-April and affected four countries in Eastern Europe when the Danube River became swollen from heavy rains and melting snow. Romania was hit most severely by the floods.

The ACT Coordinating Office issued an appeal May 22 (EUR0-61 - Europe Floods: Southern Romania Flood-affected) to fund AIDRom's response, which has been ongoing for the past few weeks. AIDRom's Emergency Unit was preparing last week to distribute 250 food and water parcels and 250 personal hygiene kits in the affected communities of Calarasi county in eastern Romania in addition to the 500 food and water packages that were purchased and distributed with US$50,000 in ACT Rapid Response Funds, sent from Geneva on April 27.

AIDRom's implementing partners

AIDRom is working with two implementing partners - the Orthodox Archbishop of Craiova in Dolj County and the Orthodox Bishop of Calarasi and Slobozia in Calarasi County. AIDRom reports that the response in the affected areas is also carried out by local parish ministers and deans in the region. Ménessy and a field worker visited the office of the Orthodox Bishop of Calarasi at the time of AIDRom's first distribution of supplies. The bishop assisted AIDRom in determining the distribution locations and schedule.

In the latest developments, AIDRom reports that two additional villages, Carna and Macesu de Jos, were evacuated as water inundated dozens of houses in the area and blocked one access road, despite encouraging signals from the state authorities that the Danube's flow levels were receding.

Living conditions in camps are unbearable

According to AIDRom, in the camps for evacuees, people have caught severe colds due to the moisture in the tents and the rainy weather. In addition, skin and digestive disorders are spreading. AIDROM says living conditions are unbearable, as there is a lack of proper and clean toilets, tap water outlets, washing and bathing facilities, and mounds of garbage are building up.

AIDRom says people are eager to return to their homes, even if nothing is left of their property. The government has urged people not to return to their homes because the danger still exists.

The government has assisted evacuated families in nine counties with grants as well as material aid, including beds, blankets, tents, raincoats and rubber boots.

As soon as the crisis phase is over, AIDRom says it will start providing assistance in the selected areas for home reconstruction for returnees who will not qualify for the government's housing-assistance program.

Later this week, the ACT Coordinating Office will issue appeals to enable ACT members in Serbia and Bulgaria to respond to the needs from the floods in those countries.

DanChurchAid is a member of ACT International - a global alliance of churches and related agencies working to save lives and support communities in emergencies.