Romanian authorities announced Tuesday that hundreds of schools and educational facilities in the south would remain closed on Wednesday as the region braced for a night of heavy rainfall.
The national weather agency has issued red alerts for the capital city, Bucharest, and five other counties in the south and southeast.
“Rainfall may reach 80-100 litres per square metre, with isolated areas receiving 120-140 litres per square metre,” the environment ministry said in a statement.
The ministry also advised people against traveling
In some lower-lying areas, authorities were preparing sandbags in a bid to counter expected flooding.
“Our priority is to reassure Bucharest residents that they are not in danger, to ensure that the city does not come to a standstill and that there is no rush to pick up children from school and bring them home,” the city’s interim mayor, Stelian Bujduveanu, told reporters.
Last week, four people died in neighbouring Bulgaria following heavy rainfall that hit the country’s Black Sea coast.
Severe flooding affected Romania over the summer, killing three people in the northeast.
President Nicusor Dan said at the time that the “dramatic events” proved the need for “sustainable investment in prevention and protection against climate risks”.
