Village evacuated in Romania due to Russian attack on Izmail port

Residents of the village of Plauru in Tulcea and their animals are being evacuated due to the danger of an explosion in the area after a ship carrying thousands of tons of liquefied petroleum gas caught fire near the Ukrainian port of Izmail in Odesa region.

The vessel was damaged by a Russian drone that attacked Odesa region on the night of November 17, the Romanian media outlet Digi24 reported.

The ship is located 500 meters from the village. Horia Teodorescu, chairman of the Tulcea County Council, said he estimated that 100 to 150 people would be evacuated.

"The tanker is on the Kiliya arm, we know that the Kiliya arm divides the territory of Romania and the territory of Ukraine. We are near the border," said Horie Theodorescu.

The village of Plauru belongs to the Chatalhii commune, and the ship with 4000 tons of liquefied petroleum gas is burning on the Ukrainian coast.

"After a drone attack on the territory of Ukraine last night, a ship loaded with liquefied petroleum gas caught fire near Izmail. Given the proximity to Romanian territory and the nature of the cargo, the authorities conducted an initial assessment of the situation. Taking into account the specifics of the materials on board and the possibility of spreading the consequences, the local authorities, in coordination with the structures of the Ministry of Internal Affairs responsible for managing such emergencies, decided to carry out a preventive evacuation of people and animals in the vicinity, and this measure will continue until any risk to the public is eliminated," the local Department of Emergency Situations said.

As a result of the Russian air attack on Odesa region, 32,500 families, mostly in the south of the region, were left without electricity. On the night of November 17, the Russian army again massively attacked Odesa region with attack drones. Despite air defense efforts, there were consequences for the energy and port infrastructure. Several civilian vessels were damaged during the attack.

Кирило Бойко