Disaster at Music Festival in Timisoara, Western Romania: Violent Storm Interrupts the Concert, Injures Dozen

On Saturday, July 26, 2025, tens of thousands of attendees at Traian Vuia International Airport in Timișoara experienced terrifying moments when a violent storm struck the Forza ZU festival, the largest music event of the year in western Romania.

Amid the excitement and performances by over 20 top Romanian artists and bands, dark clouds suddenly gathered ominously over Timișoara. Strong winds and torrential rain ripped down fences and tents, damaged the stage, and brought technical equipment crashing to the ground, turning the festival area into a chaotic scene. The crowd, caught off guard by gusts and hail, was quickly evacuated by organisers to prevent more serious injuries.

@plamenbg_official

#ForzaZu #timisoara #radiozu #2025 #storm

♬ original sound – Plamen Iliev

The incident’s toll: 11 people required medical attention, with five – three men and two women – transported to the hospital for minor head and limb injuries. One woman suffered a dislocation. Four attendees experienced panic attacks, and one man with a dislocation declined hospital transport. All injured are reported to be out of danger.

Mihai Morar, one of the event hosts and one of the hosters at Radio ZU, addressed the crowd live, urging calm and orderly evacuation, emphasising that public safety is the top priority: “An absolutely unexpected storm hit Traian Vuia Airport in Timișoara. We had to stop Forza ZU. Everyone was safely evacuated. The storm knocked down all fences, tents, and damaged equipment. We hope to continue the concert, but we are no match for nature.”

@gandul_ro

O furtună violentă a oprit un spectacol din Timișoara. Zece persoane au avut nevoie de îngrijiri medicale, cinci dintre acestea fiind transportate la spital. Victimele participau la un concert în aer liber, conform Mediafax. Meteorologii au avetizat din timp că șâmbătă seară și în noaptea de sâmbătă spre duminică sunt posibile furtuni în vestul, centrul și nordul țării. #forzazu #romania #timisoara #news #gandul

♬ original sound – Gandul Romania

Authorities responded on-site and throughout the city, where the storm felled many trees, billboards, and structures. They also cleared downed power lines. Additionally, a young man was injured by a falling tree in a city park.

Forza ZU organisers later issued a message of solidarity to the community: “The storm tried to stop us. The music paused for a moment, but our hearts never stopped. We will continue only when it’s safe. Forza ZU is not just a concert; it’s a bond between souls.”

The event remains paused for a few hours while an evaluation of infrastructure safety and weather forecasts is conducted, with plans to resume as soon as conditions allow. It was resumed past midnight, with fewer enthusiasts in attendance.