A number of houses in Leova town face the danger of collapsing owing to landslides. In one yard, the banks of the Prut River caved in and there is only 9 meters up to the house. If no measures are taken, the situation can worsen and 12 homes will be in danger, mayor of Leova Vitalie Gargaun has told IPN.

The mayor said the sliding process started 20 years ago. As the level of water in the Prut decreased, the underground springs started to come out. “Year by year, the situation has worsened. When the level of water in the Prut was high, there was no problem. The water level declined now and the banks started to slide,” explained Vitalie Gargaun.

According to the mayor, a set of reinforced concrete levees and a drainage system are needed to stop the process. Even if the area is managed by the Ministry of the Interior and Moldova’s Water Agency, the created situation is made the responsibility of the local authorities, which do not have financial resources to deal with it.