More than 600 households and a number of public buildings in the city of Ungheni would risk being flooded in the event of heavy rainfall in the coming years, show maps developed as part of the cross-border project called Integrated Networks for Hazard Risk Management (HAZARM).
Livia Nistor-Lopatenco, dean of the Faculty of Construction, Geodesy and Cadastre at the Technical University of Moldova, told a press conference that the difference from the maps made before is that newer ones can be used as a model for other areas as well.
The TUM team that participated in the project was composed of 13 people - senior and junior scientific researchers and specialists in the field. The team took measurements in Ungheni, being especially responsible for the transformations of coordinates on maps, because the coordinate systems in Moldova and Romania are different.
Topogeodesic measurements were made in the field with the help of modern equipment from the TUM. Moldovan specialists participated in measurements taken in Romania, and vice versa.
Livia Nistor-Lopatenco added that the engineers studied 17 public buildings in the city of Ungheni, including schools, kindergartens, hospitals, the town hall and the district council. As a result, the Ungheni City Hall received recommendations for necessary improvements to the buildings.
Igor Nicoară, director of the Moldovan Institute of Geology and Seismology, said that the project formed an interdisciplinary team that focused on the study of natural hazard vulnerabilities in the target area - the Moldovan city of Ungheni and Ungheni commune, on the Romanian side of the border. The seismic hazard of these territories was examined based on probabilistic methods, with a strong earthquake being modeled, such as the one that occurred in 1940. The possible damages and casualties of such a disaster were estimated. Maps are useful for those in charge of dealing with the aftermath. Areas prone to landslide risk were also selected. All the information produced as a result of the project has been provided to the local authorities.
Project leader Alina Nicuța-Precul, of the Iași Technical University, said that the results of the project aim to prevent a number of consequences, including financial, human and others. “We live with these natural phenomena that sometimes have very strong manifestations for which we must be prepared,” she said.
