Only a few weeks after the severe floods of last April, which were described by the Roumanian Government Floods Commission as the worst since 1872, Roumania is experiencing an even more disastrous outbreak of floods, in which the Jews are suffering terribly, together with the rest of the population. The Jewish areas are particularly affected, and many Jewish towns are completely submerged.
Loss of life is reported from a number of places. The body has been identified of Abraham Itzkovici, who was drowned at Targu-Fromos, the Jewish town which came into prominence in the summer of 1930, when a number of Cuzists attacked Jews there while returning to Jassy from Roman after the election in which Professor Cuza was returned to Parliament.
The Jewish town of Soroca, which was the worst sufferer in the April floods, in which 495 houses collapsed and 800 families were rendered homeless (the Anglo-Jewish Association, the Board of Deputies and the Federation of Jewish Relief Organisations contributed towards the Soroca relief fund) is again inundated.
Jassy, one of the largest cities in Roumania and the ancient capital, which has a Jewish population of about 50,000, is almost completely submerged. The water is two metres high in some places. About two thousand people have been rendered homeless. Bodies of children are floating on the waters, together with furniture and the wreckage of houses that have collapsed. All communication with the city is broken. The floods have got into the lighting system and the town is in the dark at night. The military canteens are feeding the refugees.
The danger is believed to be worst in Bukovina, where it is approaching a catastrophe.
The river Dniestr and the river Pruth have both risen seven metres. Many of the Jewish towns and villages in the province are isolated, so that nothing is known of their fate.
The Jewish town of Wisnitz, where Professor Jorga’s son-in-law was until recently Prefect, distinguishing himself by his order for the demolition of the Jewish refugee barracks, withdrawn since his recall, is flooded, as is also the town of Waschoutz.
Most of the Jewish districts in Northern Moldavia are completely under water. Many houses have collapsed at Podul###At Belce there are over three hundred houses under water.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
