1 dead in Romania in a powerful storm after intense heat wave
A woman walks by a fallen tree, in Bucharest, Romania, Wednesday July 1, 2026, after a thunderstorm hit the Romanian capital the night before. Credit: AP/Andreea Alexandru
BUCHAREST, Romania — A powerful storm struck Romania ’s capital overnight into Wednesday, killing one person and causing flooding in 20 counties following an intense heat wave.
The torrential storm hit 60 localities, and emergency services pumped water from more than 350 houses and 100 streets, according to the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations, or IGSU.
The hardest-hit areas were the capital's municipality of Bucharest and neighboring Ilfov County, where one person died when a tree fell on their car. Emergency services received more than 2,200 requests for help. Rescuers and resources such as trucks, water pumps and chain saws were deployed from other counties.
The IGSU said 988 trees fell during the storm, and 495 cars were damaged.
Like much of Europe, Romania has been gripped by a heat wave this week, with temperatures in some areas forecast to exceed 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).
On Wednesday, the National Meteorological Administration warned of torrential rains and thunderstorms for the western and southern parts of the country.
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