Section Name SOCIO-ECONOMIC VULNERABILITY TO FLOODS AND FLASH-FLOODS IN THE BEND SUBCARPATHIANS, ROMANIA Prof. Dr. Dan Bălteanu 1 Dr. Dana Micu 1 Dr. Andra Costache 2 Dr. Dogaru Diana 1 Dr. Mihaela Persu 1 1 Romanian Academy, Institute of Geography, Bucharest, Romania 2 Valahia University of Târgovişte, Romania ABSTRACT The current study aims to assess the level of socio-economic vulnerability to floods and flash-floods (FF) in the context of environmental change, as well as in relation to the mitigation measures undertaken by local authorities to cope with these phenomena. The study area is located in the Bend Subcarpathians (Romania), a region recognized for its high tectonic mobility and dynamics of hydro-geomorphic processes (e.g. floods and flash floods, landslides). The case study area was significantly affected by FF events (e.g. 1975, 2005, 2010), with a high impact on rural settlements in terms of significant losses to their assets. A system of socio-economic vulnerability indicators, developed within the VULMIN project, have been used to assess the socio-economic vulnerability to floods and FF impact at the level of rural settlements (LAU2 level), including social indicators (e.g. human capital, accessibility, livelihood conditions), as well as economic indicators (e.g. economic well-being). Keywords: Bend Subcarpathians, index of socio-economic vulnerability, response and adaptation to floods INTRODUCTION The extreme hydro-meteorological events (e.g. heavy rainfalls and the resulted floods and flash-floods), are of major concern for local communities worldwide due to their high return period (1-5 years) with significant impact on society and environment. Their increased occurrence and magnitude influences population response, which becomes limited to individual measures (e.g. buildings consolidations and household relocations), especially in the rural communities with a low adaptive capacity. It is also the case of the human settlements located in the study area, the Bend Subcarpathians (Romania), a region recognized for its high tectonic mobility and dynamics of hydro- geomorphic processes. During the last years, several FF events occurred in the region (e.g. 2005, 2010), with a high impact on local communities in terms of significant losses to their assets. Therefore, the present analysis, conducted within the framework of VULMIN project (Flood vulnerability of settlements and environment in Romania