After tsunamis, wars and terrorist bombings, are we emotionally capable of lifting up our eyes to see another horrific disaster? Last week Romania was hit by another wave of floods, much of it in the county of Galati. I visited some of the hardest hit areas and am compelled to tell you about it.
Flooding began in eastern Romania (Times) in April. Since then it has continued to rain hard, inundating much of the country and destroying crops. Last week torrential rains hit Vrancea and Galati counties, flooding the Siret River to 30 times its normal capacity. Bridges, dams, train lines, roads and houses were carried away. Though many were saved by helicopters and boats, at least 15 people were drowned.
One elderly man took his horses and cart and began moving things from the house up to the top of the hill. On his last descent, a large wave came and carried him and the animals away to their deaths.
The disaster was so catastrophic that people are still in shock. “I can’t believe it happened to me.” Many spoke of being caught by that great wave and almost drowning. Some are grateful to be alive, even with so much loss. Others wish they had died with their lost homes and buried histories.
In the wreckage I saw where the water rose six to ten feet across miles of agriculture and homes. The statistics for Galati County are overwhelming: 7,196 evacuated from their homes; 456 rescued by boats or helicopter; 2,235 houses flooded; 685 houses destroyed; 10 bridges destroyed; 56.6 km. local roads destroyed; 5 dykes broken for a total of 272 meters; 6,653 hectares of cultivated land flooded; 3,168 hectares of forest flooded; 1,290 hectares of pasture land flooded.
Left behind were collapsed rooftops on the muddy and mushy ground. I walked from family to family, listening to the same story. Most are the poor. Few had land rights; even fewer had access to cement, so the majority of the homes were made of mud and thatch. The water swept through, overturning television sets, wardrobes and beds, tearing holes in the walls and causing the roofs to collapse. Where homes were partially intact, gaping holes shown where the walls had dissolved, covering every belonging in thick mud.
Families worked hard trying to uncover their possessions, but few items were salvageable. Identity papers and school diplomas, pictures and books, tools and animals were all washed away or buried in the soot. What these people lost in one day was the labor of their lifetime.
Some of the victims are being blamed for not doing anything now, but what can they do? Many were encouraged to pick up what’s left and start over, but what is left?
Because the waters had retreated or had been pumped out, many families constructed makeshift tents out of cellophane sheets and blankets. This will be their home until they are able to rebuild. Some have been fortunate to receive “tents on loan” from the military. The residents of one of these small tents said that it slept 18 persons the previous night. Maybe these shelters will suffice for the summer but where will these people go this winter?
Not only were their shelters and belongings destroyed, many also lost the single source of income that their large gardens represented. Some had taken out loans to pay for the cultivation of cucumbers, corn, and vineyards. Now they are not only out of income for this and next year, they also have debts that they cannot repay.
The water overturned outhouses, animal dung, and garbage dumps. The water carried dead and bloated animal carcasses. The water is the one thing that the people have in abundance and the one thing the people can’t use. Their wells are filled with the contaminated water, so they cannot drink it. Families are receiving rationed water. What we saw was that each family received 10 liters of water, but some families had 5 members and some families have 20 members. The water has receded, but now it is a marshland. It is not longer flowing away but must wait for the sun to dry it. The marshes breed mosquitoes and flies, not to mention the bacteria growing in the contaminated compost.
Although I only visited three of the affected villages, I saw thousands of homeless children. The Red Cross had begun vaccinations against hepatitis and other diseases. The local mayors have set up feeding programs and other temporary shelters. Many of these activities are being run at the schools and hospitals.
Some of the schools were also destroyed. What will the children do when the school year starts in September?
There are different levels of need. Families urgently need clean water, food, cleaning supplies, medication and vaccinations. Because the media attention on the flood, politicians, businesses and individuals have been involved in meeting these needs. However, the eyes of the media will soon turn to other things and involvement will decrease. Who will provide the food for the homeless next month? Who will help them find land? Who will help them rebuild their homes and lives?
Many of the people were poor before they lost their homes. Now they are completely destitute. They need homes, but they also need sustainable jobs and incomes. Many are illiterate. In the midst of the sloppy government organization, they do not know the procedure for recovery and are blamed for not knowing how to be helped.
Many are from large families. One washed away house made dozens homeless. Many are Gypsies, which carries deep stereotypes, prejudices and racism. They are seen as lazy and even as “deserving” of what they lost. “If they were better, smarter, more hardworking, then this wouldn’t have happened to them.” Now they are less worthy of the help.
Some of the better off were also affected, though most had their homes on the highlands. But most of their lowland homes were made of reinforced cement and thus are still standing. Their loss consisted of their crop, their soaked possessions, and their memories.
The most vulnerable lost the most; now they are even more vulnerable. They are vulnerable to disease and hunger. They are vulnerable to cold and lack of shelter. But they are also vulnerable to becoming street children and prostitutes. Migration for many is certain. Most said that they were unwilling to rebuild there. Is it worth investing a lifetime of work only to see it destroyed in one day?
Everywhere we walked we saw sore eyes – there are no more tears to weep, just empty pain. For these drenched hearts there is no rainbow confirming God’s promise that “the waters will no more become a flood to destroy all flesh, neither shall there again be a flood to destroy the earth.”
Certainly the overwhelming waters were matched only by the outpouring of God’s tears. Now it is in the hands and hearts of God’s covenant people to confirm the sign of His promise, that in the midst of high waters, deep mire and clay, He is our Deliverer and Sustainer of life.
We are currently trying to collaborate with organizations and government institutions to help the flood victims recover. If you are interested in helping, please email me and I will let you know the best way: david.chronic@wordmadeflesh.com
Grappling together for hope,
David and Lenuta Chronic
Fundatia Cuvântul Întrupat
O.P. 6 C.P. 256
Galati 800.760
România
tel: 0040 236 306022
fax: 0040 236 312199
email: david.chronic@wordmadeflesh.com
