Storms Cause Fires, Power Cuts In Romania

BUCHAREST, Aug 22 (AFP) - Severe storms uprooted trees and caused fires and power cuts in central and northern Romania overnight, officials said Sunday.
In the northern Bistrita-Nasaud area four houses were destroyed by fire after being hit by lightning.
Dozens of villages in the same region went without electricity for more than 12 hours after gale-force winds damaged power lines.
The storms also caught some 100 hikers by surprise, fording them to spend the night in the northern Rodna mountains, although rescue services contacted by AFP said there were no immediate reports of any injured.