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Over 50 villages in Romania stranded in snow drifts

As many as 53 villages remain under several metre-thick snow cover in the Vrancea, Buzau, Ilfov, Galati and other counties

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

BUCHAREST, February 12 (Itar-Tass) — Several dozen thousands of people in central districts of Romania are stranded, as before, in snow drifts over blizzards continuing for a week and unusually low temperatures.

As many as 53 villages remain under several metre-thick snow cover in the Vrancea, Buzau, Ilfov, Galati and other counties, which are the hardest hit by the elements, secretary of state of the Ministry of Administration and Interior Mihai Capra told reporters on Sunday.

According to Capra, power supplies and communications were disrupted in another 46 towns and villages of the hardest-hit counties. Motor traffic stopped on 79 highways and local roads.

The government announced the state of emergency in calamity-stricken districts. Detachments of rescuers, police and army have been working there for the second day running. They are clearing highways, dig trenches and tunnels to extricate people from their homes, covered by snow up to their roofs.

They also brought their foodstuffs and prime necessities for emaciated people, bringing by helicopters to hospitals those who need medical aid. According to the Health Ministry, 7,000 people were evacuated from the calamity zone; several hundred were brought to clinics with signs of super-cooling.

Another eight people died over the past off-days due to sub-zero temperatures. Thus, the total number of the dead from foul weather reached 65 in Romania. New Romanian premier Mihai Razvan Ungureanu urgently arrived in the calamity zone. He orchestrates rescue operations.

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