Severe flooding in northeastern Romania has claimed the lives of three people and forced hundreds more to be evacuated, the local prefecture said.

A 66-year-old man was found dead in a riverbed in Suceava province, the prefecture said on Facebook, after several swollen rivers swept away everything in their path following heavy rains.

An 89-year-old woman and an 85-year-old woman also died in the same region.

Rescuers are still searching for possible victims.

Several hundred residents have been evacuated, some by helicopter, with photos showing roads blocked by debris, destroyed bridges, and uprooted trees.

With many villages cut off, the prefecture said it was too early to assess the full extent of the damage but added that a "significant number" of homes had been affected. | BGNES