| THE EFFECTS OF DROUGHT (14.05.2007) |
| (2007-05-14) |
| Last updated: 2007-05-14 17:22 EET |
Recently we have been hearing a lot the words “Romania’s desertification” and now these words are starting to get shape, as the general global warming phenomenon is being felt in Romania, too. During the communist regime, certain industrial and agricultural economic development decisions caused the deterioration of large areas, as the Danube’s water pools were drained and plains deforestated. But after 1990, an equally dramatic period followed. Lacking a strict national environmental protection policy, the transfer of forests and waters into private ownership has led to the continuation of damaging actions, with long term effects.
The year 2000 was the droughtiest in Romania in the last one hundred years, but in 2007 this record could be broken. The heat wave that has hit Romania this May is already affecting crops, the ground water level has dropped and 10 counties out of the total 41 are already affected by drought. In Dolj county, southern Romania, it hasn’t rained since October 2006.
In other Romanian counties, the authorities are preparing for the situation in which water will be used for domestic consumption only. In Moldova, eastern Romania, wells have gone dry, while in Dobrogea, south-eastern Romania, the production of early fruits will be zero. Danube’s flow has dropped to half the normal functioning level needed by the Portile de Fier hydro-electric power station, south-east of the country. 30 degrees plus temperatures also affect the health of numerous people who are not accustomed to such thermal abnormalities in the temperate area.
Over the next few days the situation will not improve, as meteorologists have announced a continuation of these dog days. So, Romanians are turning to God, praying for nature to be kinder. The Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Teoctist, on Sunday conducted a special mass, also praying for rain.
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2025-04-03
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