Over 600 settlements in Moldova are exposed to the risk of being flooded owing to the technically unadjusted protection infrastructure. According to the Civil Protection and Emergencies Service, the damaged levees or the absence of levees, plus the lack of a warning system make the people and their property venerable to floods. Contacted by IPN, the director of Moldova’s Water Agency Marin Adam said they are working on a number of projects to reconstruct the levees, to the value of over 50 million lei.
“This year we aim to renovate at least 40-50 kilometers of levees in every settlement,” said Marin Adam. There will be repaired the levees in Stefan-Voda, Anenii-Noi, Criuleni, Serpeni, and Puhaceni. Along the Prut River, levees will be reconstructed in Cantemir, Leuseni, and Gotesti. The money will be allocated from the National Ecological Fund. “Regretfully, this is the only source of financing. No money has been allotted from the state budget,” said the Agency’s director.
Deputy Minister of the Environment Lazar Chirica said that 70 million lei was earmarked last year for the repair of levees. The levees that now cannot cope with the floods were built in 1970-1980.
The Civil Protection and Emergencies Service said that 23% of the country’s settlements are situated within an area of 6 km of the rivers Nistru and Prut, facing the risk of floods.
