BUCHAREST - Heavy rains and melting snow may cause flooding in southeast Europe over the next few days, but no major damage is expected, authorities said on Friday.
Bulgaria said a dam in the south of the country could overflow, possibly affecting low-lying land in Greece and Turkey.
"We want to warn Greece and Turkey that the level of Arda river has risen significantly ... We expect the dam near the border with the two countries to start overflowing this evening," the environment ministry said.
In Romania, where flooding forced 16,000 people from their homes last July, television footage showed the Prahova river flooding courtyards in villages near the northern mountain resort of Sinaia. Authorities told hundreds of families in the eastern county of Buzau to be ready to evacuate if rains persist.
"We expect some floods, but the damage will definitely not be as large as last year," said Ion Sandu, head of Romania's Meteorological Institute.
In south Bulgaria, several villages were left without electricity and some public buildings were flooded.
Officials have ruled out the possibility of floods on the stretch of the Danube river running through Bulgaria and Romania, with water flow well below the average level for March.
More than 60 people died in Romania in 2005 during the worst flooding in decades.
REUTERS NEWS SERVICE
