Flooding in Satu-Mare County, northern Romani
© Satu-Mare County GovernmentFlooding in Satu-Mare County, northern Romania, 13 May 2021
A short period of torrential rain early on 13 may 2021 caused severe flash flooding in parts of northern Romania.

Local authorities in Satu-Mare County reported severe flooding in Răteşti and Supur. Authorities said tributaries of the Crasna river had broken their banks after 70 mm of rain fell in 3 hours early 13 May. The flooding was described as the worst in 20 years. Flood water was reportedly up to waist height.

As of 13 May, around 150 people had evacuated flooded homes in Răteşti and nearby Beltiug. Flooding in areas of Supur affected 49 households, with 7 people temporarily evacuated.

Tánczos Barna, Minister of Environment, Waters and Forests, visited the affected areas. He said the volume of rainfall in such a short period is unprecedented in this region. Hundreds of livestock have been lost and over 1,000 affected households, some of them isolated. "It is practically a miracle that we have no loss of human lives," the Minister added.