Flooding continues in northwestern Albania

TIRANA, April 9 – Thousands of hectares have been flooded as people and livestock continue to live under water in the northwestern part of the country for almost a month.
Following continuous rains in the last weeks authorities say it is not easy to address severe flooding that has left hundreds of homes swamped and without electricity or drinking water.
Up to 6,000 hectares of land in the northwestern Shkoder area have been submerged in up to three feet of water following weeks of heavy rain.
Though the authorities acknowledge that the situation is of concern, they add that it is not yet serious enough to declare a state of emergency.
The authorities also say the Albanian army has been ferrying food and drinking water to residents in the flooded areas, most of whom have refused to leave their homes.
But many residents in the Nen-Shkoder area complain that they are left alone and continue to claim compensation for flooding in previous years.
Power authorities are discharging water from reservoirs that supply major power stations in the area, where water levels have reached a critical point.
There have been continued flooding in these areas in the last 4-5 years.
Though no official or any other institution say it openly, many acknowledge that the situation stems from ill-planned construction in land previously planned to stay for use in the discharge area of the Drin River.
It is not easy for any government to commit large amounts of funding at these times of financial crisis, but experts say the inhabitants should probably permanently move from the area.
The rain has also affected the Shkoder Lake which has discharged lots of water into the entrance or the suburbs of the city of Shkoder, up to 2-0 centimeters in some places.
There is fear that continuous rain and the melting of the snow and ice from the mountains may further worsen the situation in the flooded areas.