The storms battered 19 localities in eight counties in Romania, with strong winds downing dozens of trees that damaged cars and blocked roads and traffic.

At least four people died and thousands of homes were damaged by flooding in eastern Romania on Saturday, officials said, as surging river levels put authorities on alert in much of central and eastern Europe following days of torrential rain.

The European Union will allocate billions of euros to assist central Europe in recovering from severe floods. The deluge has caused significant damage and fatalities across several countries, with EU funds aimed at rebuilding infrastructure swiftly.