Floods impacted heavily on flora and fauna

The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources has drafted an action plan to monitor the environmental situation in flooded areas. Minister Violeta Ivanov informed a working meeting on Tuesday that mobile teams were set up to systematically inspect the quality of water in rivers, Info-Prim Neo reports. “Water samples are taken from rivers each day. The concentration of chemical and organic substances as well as metals do not exceed accepted standards”, the minister stated. A map has been drafted to help local authorities anticipate landslides and soil erosions. It has been found that in 3,000 out of 4,500 wells across the country water is non-drinkable and needs disinfection. 200m to 500m deep artesian wells and shafts also pose health hazards. “To avoid pollution of underground water resources, which, in addition, are very few in Moldova, the National Ecological Fund will finance a project worth 700,000 lei to tampon these wells”, said the minister. Violeta Ivanov went on to add that the flooding has brought heavy damages to the flora and fauna. “Waters have washed hundreds of nests and places of habitation of wild animals. Furthermore, poaching activity has intensified in the last three days. In the northern part of the country the Ecological Inspectorate discovered three shotguns, one of which had been used to shoot a swan. The situation is very serious and we are doing our best to prevent an environmental crisis from erupting. We must acknowledge the fact that the floods are also the effects of reckless interventions and disrespect for the nature, which have led to climate changes around the world”, said the minister. There is also a threat for young fish to perish in muddy puddles created by floodwaters. The minister called on local authorities to mobilize their communities to throw the young fish, or at least what is left of it, back into the water. Sources have been identified for the purchase of 8 tonnes of fish to repopulate the Nistru and the Prut in November, the minister added.