A storm that battered Romania’s capital and the surrounding area has left one person dead, uprooted trees and saw more than a dozen flights grounded.
Residents were issued a red alert warning on Thursday evening ahead of the violent storm, the latest this summer, and warned about going outdoors and parking under trees.
The General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations (IGSU) said a 49-year-old woman died just north of the capital after the roof of another building collapsed on to her home.
Romania’s “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” Police Academy in north Bucharest was damaged, with bits of his roof flying off, while several classrooms were flooded.
In Bucharest, two people were taken to hospital after trees fell onto roads, and residents were struck by falling branches. Emergency services reported over 130 emergency calls to the Bucharest-Ilfov dispatch center.
Outside Bucharest, authorities issued a an Orange Code for seven communities where storms tore off roof segments and uprooted trees. Two vehicles were damaged in the storm.
Authorities later cleared debris and rubble that had detached from several buildings, and clear trees.
SU operational crews intervene to manage the effects of the weather phenomena and ensure the protection of the population. The population is advised to avoid traveling and outdoor activities during the phenomena, not to park under trees or near unstable objects (panels, poles), to disconnect electrical equipment if they notice fluctuations or interruptions, and not to touch fallen electrical cables as they may be under voltage.
The Code Red storm warning was valid until 8:00 p.m. and in localities in Ilfov, Brăila, Ialomiţa, Giurgiu, Buzău and Călăraşi counties.
Some 15 planes were grounded at Otopeni International Airport as pilots waited for the weather to improve. Some planes were unable to land, boardingpass.ro reports. conditions to land in Bucharest.
