Officials said about 50 bridges and numerous dams were destroyed by the floods, as waters continued to rise. They said more than 2,000 houses were damaged and thousands of residents deprived of electricity.

Summer has brought unusual contrasts in the weather here, with 14 people struck down by lightning and 27 others killed by heatstroke since the beginning of July.

The civil protection service was on the alert in most of the country, and Prime Minister Adrian Nastase flew Thursday to Bacau, one of the most seriously affected regions, to see the extent of the damage for himself.

TERRA.WIRE