Heavy rain floods streets, affects traffic in Bucharest

A heavy rain on Sunday evening, June 17, has flooded several streets in Bucharest and the localities nearby, seriously affecting the road traffic. Most problems were recorded in the Ozana and Pallady neighborhoods in District 3, in eastern Bucharest. However, the water also infiltrated the Tineretului subway station, where it caused a short circuit, according to local Stiri.tvr.ro. The rainfall also flooded the basements of several apartment buildings and houses in the Romanian capital and affected the traffic on the Soarelui Highway, which links Bucharest to the seaside resorts. The heavy rain also affected the tram’s traffic in Bucharest, with dozens of trams being blocked in stations. The Jilava underpass and the national road DN1 in the Otopeni area were also flooded, as well as the streets of Catelu commune in Ilfov county, where the water got into people’s houses and gardens. Floods also affected other parts of Romania on Sunday. According to the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations (IGSU), a total of 31 localities in 14 counties were affected by the heavy rain, namely Alba, Arges, Arad, Bacau, Dambovita, Dolj, Galati, Iasi, Neamt, Prahova, Teleorman, Timis, Valcea and Vrancea counties. A total of 56 homes, 30 household annexes, 10 cellars and basements, and 87 courtyards were flooded. Moreover, 30 fountains, seven road sections and a railway section were also affected. A special emergency situation was recorded in the town of Adjud in Vrancea County, where military firefighters acted to save a shepherd with 200 animals stuck on the island in the middle of the Siret River. Another important event took place in Teleorman county, in Vartoapele, where the railway traffic was temporarily blocked due to a fire caused by lightning at the locomotive of a train carrying approximately 100 people. The event did not result in casualties, and the railway traffic was resumed immediately after the locomotive was replaced. Meteorologists expect the bad weather to continue at least until Monday, June 18, 21:00. Irina Marica, irina.marica@romania-insider.com (photo source: ISU Bucuresti-Ilfov on Facebook)