Thousands of people and livestock were evacuated from northwestern Albania following flooding caused from overflow of rivers and the Shkodra Lake and opening of the doors of the hydropower stations in Drini River. Over 10,000 hectares of land was flooded, covering thousasnds of houses and other objects. People and authorities looking forward to calmer weather on weekend.
Tirana Times
TIRANA, Dec. 1 – The government on Wednesday declared an emergency situation in northwestern districts, a repeat of the same situation in January, obliged to increase water output from hydro power stations.
Thousands of people are being evacuated from northwestern Albania threatened from widespread flooding after heavy rain in the last days. At least 300 families were evacuated and settled in public dormitories, according to prefect Maxhit Cungu, adding they were ready to sign contracts with private hotels to shelter more. Thousands of livestock were also evacuated.
Army and police are assisting local authorities evacuate areas in Shkodra district, 120 kilometers northwest of capital Tirana, along the Drini and Buna Rivers’ delta, taking them to public dormitories and private hotels as weather conditions have worsened in the last days.
Authrotieis said that if rain continued they would be obliged to pour out more water from the hydropower reservoirs. Hydroelectric power generated from the Drini River covers the bulk of Albania’s energy needs and have reached their culmination these days trying to lower the water level at their basin, Prime Minister Sali Berisha said Wednesday.
Authorities said that over 10,000 hectares of land were flooded, covering thousands of houses.
They said there has been no victim and urged the population to be evacuated from the endangered areas. Local media still reported that a pregnant mother alleged she lost her baby due to the cold she had stayed under water during the last days.
Buna river has reached the pavement of the national road at the entrance of the city and some communes nearby cannot be used by small vehicles.
Berisha said that authorities would start negotiations with neighboring Montenegro to deepen the Buna bed, a project that may ask for much money.
The national road link between Shkodra and other towns was blocked Wednesday. Shkodra and the area were practically isolated from the rest of the country.
Authorities said that heavy rain was the cause of the decision to continue the water flow from the Vau I Dejes hydro power station, thus flooding thousands of agricultural land in the northwestern area.
Opposition leader Edi Rama accused directly the government for doing nothing to prevent such a flooding after that caused in January.
