Natural disasters

6. Romania

Romania’s territory is exposed to a large number of natural risks as a result of its geographical position and landscape, such as:
-earthquakes
-floods

-landslides
-dangerous meteorological phenomena
- forest fires

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6.1 Earthquakes

Romania is situated in a seismic active region
Has a moderate seismic activity
Has a history of devastating and deadly earthquakes.
The Bucharest area has experienced a number of earthquakes of varying intensities, up to M 7,4 .

Initially, scientists have found that earthquakes were caused by heavy rains and flooding in the area. Based on preliminary investigations on the spot, seismologists from the National Institute for Earth Physics said the blame should be an oldest fault, a seismically sensitive area, which was reactivated.
The first conclusions of experts, based on data collected are that earthquakes can be natural (mechanical suffusion) or anthropogenic (extraction activity based on injection wells)

6.2 Landslides

It is a common hazard in Romania
Mostly it occur in the Carpathian Mountains and hilly regions, on more than 60% of the territory

Number of human victims of this natural hazard is very low.
Landslide causes substantial damage to human property in affected regions.

An increase in landslide frequency has been observed in recent years, related to extreme rainfall resulting from climate change.

In our country the most important and popular landslide was the collapse of a slope due to an earthquake of 6.9 magnitude, which blocked the Bicaz River and formed the Red Lake.

6.3 Desertification

In Romania drought and desertification are:
-from natural causes
- from anthropogenic causes (deforestation, destruction of irrigation etc.)
In the last century - increase in the average annual temperature with 0.5 degrees C.
A more pronounced warming (0.8 degrees) was manifested in the S and SE, where the average annual temperature has reached 11 degrees, with more than 3 degrees higher than in the N.

6.4 Floods

Romania is known as one of the most flood-prone countries in Europe. Floods killed 1,000 people in 1926; 215 people in 1970; 60 people in 1975; 108 people in 1991; and 33 people in 1995; 76 people in 2005; 21 in 2010.
The most frequent and severe disasters in Romania are floods