1970 floods in Romania

209 people were killed, 41,000 houses were damaged or totally destroyed (leaving at least 265,000 homeless),[3] over a million arable acres were inundated, over 100,000 sheep, pigs, cows and chickens (including over 35,000 head of cattle)[1] drowned, 146 factories were idled at least temporarily, and over 250 miles (400 km) of highway required repair.[6] The Prahova,[6] Târnava, Olt (threatening Râmnicu Vâlcea and Slatina)[3] and Tisza[7] rivers were among those affected, as well as the Danube (which rose up to 6½ ft above normal spring high-water levels, flooding docks and port installations in Turnu Severin),[8] Prut and Siret.On May 22, wearing a black turtleneck sweater, workman's cloth cap and farmer's jacket, Ceaușescu and high Romanian Communist Party leaders spent hours superintending the completion of a five-mile (8 km)-long earth and timber dike at Brăila.[6] British aid organisations promised 50 tons of food, children's clothing and medicine, while West Germany sent a number of mobile water-purification units.[3] Reflecting a drive for development and modernisation, the regime embarked upon a national land-improvement programme following the floods, covering drainage, irrigation, soil erosion, navigation, power, research and training in a comprehensive approach that departed from mere reliance upon control structures.