Vladimir Voronin: Our main goal now is to avoid loss of human lives
- 28.07.2008 06:37
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- 2 minute(s)
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“We must make every effort to avoid loss of human lives”, stated President Vladimir Voronin at a Sunday evening meeting of the governmental commission on emergencies, attended by the Cabinet.
The president instructed relevant departments to forcibly displace the persons who fail to acknowledge the danger of remaining in flood-hit homes. Such cases occurred in Moldova's northernmost village of Criva, Briceni district. Voronin also called for stronger measures for protecting the property of the displaced people as well as the evacuated resorts in Vadul lui Voda.
By order of the president, there will be made arrangements to accommodate the displaced persons in schools and other public facilities. There is a need for coordinated and prompt action by the central and local authorities to provide them with clothing, underclothes, drinking water, food, and diary products for children, said the president.
In Chisinau, where the risk that the waters of the Nistru will flood the pumping facilities is high, supplies to industrial companies will be cut.
To cope with a potential mass evacuation, the head of state gave orders for two airplanes, trucks, bulldozers and other heavy machines to be prepared. Task forces will be set up in each district to estimate the damages.
Voronin also suggested an intenser dialogue with the Ukrainian authorities to identify joint solutions for drawing off the waters. Moldova's dams in Dnestrovsk, Dubasari and Costesti face a load which is by 6 to 7 times higher than standard.
Interior Minister Valentin Mejinschi said some 300 residential structures have been flooded in Briceni district, 17 of which collapsed. Approximately 600 people have been evacuated from the affected settlements and some 1,800 children from Vadul lui Voda's summer camps.
Deputy PM Igor Dodon has said that the threat of floods still exists. However, the level of water has been decreasing in northern Moldova.
