(CNN) -- Romanian authorities have evacuated 2,000 people from their homes over the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of evacuees to almost 16,000 since heavy flooding began, an emergency official said Friday.
Twenty-two people have died in the flooding, which began June 22, said Alin Maghiar, a spokesman for the Romanian General Inspectorate of Emergency Situations. One person is listed as missing, he said.
Flooding is expected to continue into Saturday because of continued rainfall, with the heaviest rain falling on the northeastern county of Bacau, he said.
The situation in eastern Romania, he said, is "critical".
Romania may request flooding assistance from the European Union Solidarity Fund, which is designed to deal with natural disasters in EU member states, the national news agency Agerpres reported Friday.
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Emil Boc said the government will give the families of the flood victims 5,000 lei ($1,470) each, the news agency reported. In the meantime, Boc has ordered that flood victims be given food and water.
