Five people in eastern Romania have been found dead after torrential rainstorms left scores of people stranded in flooded areas, emergency authorities said Saturday.
Rescue services scrambled to save 95 people in the hard-hit eastern counties of Galati and Vaslui. The bodies of three elderly women and two men were found in the localities of Pechea, Draguseni, Costache Negri, and Corod, the Department for Emergency Situations said, The AP reported.
Authorities later added that it was determined one of the victims had been dead for two days and “did not die due to the effects of the weather” but from other causes.
Emergency authorities released video footage that showed a team of rescuers evacuating an elderly man on a small lifeboat before carrying him to safety.
A Black Hawk helicopter was deployed to Galati to help with the search and rescue missions.
The storms battered 19 localities in eight counties in Romania, with strong winds downing dozens of trees that damaged cars and blocked roads and traffic. Authorities sent text message alerts to residents to warn them of adverse weather as emergency services rushed to remove floodwaters from homes. Some roads have also been closed.
The stormy weather comes as several central European nations anticipate severe flooding forecast to hit the Czech Republic, Poland, Austria, Germany, Slovakia, and Hungary over the weekend.
