The Neamtu Prefect Mihai Archip told Agerpres that he took this decision so that to eliminate any risks and to be sure both the goods and especially the people's lives are saved.

'I have ordered the local committees for emergency situations to get mobilized as soon as possible. The families to be evacuated will be hosted in schools where all the necessary conditions are being arranged for them. Moreover, in the meantime, the policemen and gendarmes will patrol in the area and will watch for their households. We want to be sure we won't have any kind of problems', Prefect Mihai Archip told Agerpres on Monday.

Upstream the Poiana Teiului locality on the Bistrita River, every winter when temperatures fall below minus 15 degrees Celsius ices floes measuring up to 20 kilometres in length and sometimes even 7 m in wide are forming. Because of the high temperatures, up to 2 degrees Celsius, the ice melts on the upper stretch of the river close to Suceava City, with ice packs coming downstream to the Borca, Farcasa and Poiana Teiului localities.

On New Year's Eve, 2002-2003, because of the same phenomenon, the ice packs caused huge torrents on the Bistrita River. Three young people from the Poiana Teiului locality died after the cottage located right on the river banks was swept away by the tonnes of water combined with ice. Other 6 young people miraculously saved themselves managing to cling to the wood joists from the destroyed cottage.

AGERPRES