New floods force 1,000 from homes in Romania

02/05/2006

BUCHAREST, Romania -- About 1,000 people fled their homes when a Danube dike broke near the village of Macesu de Jos on Monday (1 May). About 400 houses were flooded by rapidly rising water. The Danube's flow was measured at 13.3 cubic metres per second on Monday, twice the normal volume for this time of year. Two weeks ago, the river reached a record flow of 15.9 cubic metres. Some 16,000 people have been evacuated so far, with just 2,000 returning to their homes. The Romanian Red Cross launched an international appeal Monday for humanitarian aid. In neighbouring Bulgaria, authorities have started a major cleanup effort in towns and villages along the Danube. (Nine o'clock - 02/05/06; AFP, Reuters, Rompres - 01/05/06)