Snowfall in Romania, Moldova Kills One Person, Disrupt Power

A severe winter onslaught with heavy snowfall and blizzards ravaged Romania and Moldova this Sunday, resulting in a tragic fatality, widespread power outages, and the closure of numerous national thoroughfares, according to official statements.

In a somber incident in Moldova, a 40-year-old individual perished when their vehicle veered off the road and collided with a tree, reported the national police of Moldova.

This incident was among six road accidents that occurred by midday.

Moldovan police, in an urgent advisory on Telegram, implored motorists to avoid non-essential travel and to exercise extreme caution, emphasizing the importance of adequately equipped vehicles and reduced speeds in such treacherous conditions.

Simultaneously, Romania was grappling with its own weather-induced chaos. 

The National Meteorological Administration issued red weather alerts for the eastern counties of Constanta, Tulcea, Galati, and Braila, predicting wind speeds reaching a formidable 100 kph (62 mph).

Sebastian Burduja, Romania's Minister of Energy, informed The Associated Press that electrical disruptions plagued over 400 localities.

Authorities confirmed that a combination of national and local road closures compounded the situation in the affected counties.

At least 69 localities in Constanta and Braila were plunged into darkness, with emergency teams dispatched to rectify the power failures. Additionally, other parts of Romania received warnings for less severe, yet significant, weather conditions.

The impact of the storms extended into neighboring Bulgaria, where the government declared a state of emergency on Sunday due to similar extreme weather conditions.

Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov noted that over 1,000 settlements, predominantly in the northeast, experienced power outages.

Bulgaria also witnessed the tragic loss of two lives in traffic incidents, with 36 individuals injured within the last 24 hours.

The storm's ferocity led to road closures, traffic collisions, delays in travel, and damage to trees and power lines, as detailed by Denkov.