TIRANA, Nov. 24, 2022 – The situation is improving in northwestern Albania, authorities say, following several days of torrential rain and flooding that killed at least two people and left hundreds of homes underwater.
Shkoder and Lezhe counties were worse affected with 2404 and 800 hectares of flooded land reported respectively. At one point, the city of Shkoder was cut off from the rest of the country as a major bridge over the Drin River was inundated.
Search and rescue workers said they found the bodies of a 48-year-old man and his 18-year-old son on Monday after an extensive search in the rural area of Shkrel, Malesi e Madhe. They fell victim to a flash flood while in their vehicle. A child that was with them survived the incident, authorities said .
About 140 people had to be evacuated from their homes as army and Red Cross personnel moved in to help.
“We helped with some food packages in Lezhe and Shkoder, with a contingent of hygienic kits and a quantity of clothes for the families after they fled quickly when they were evacuated. We hope that the situation will improve, but, in case it worsens, we will be by their side, as we always have been,” said Fatos Xhengo of the Albanian Red Cross.
There are problems in the municipality of Durres too, where flood-prone areas were again under water, especially in the Keneta area.
Despite the rapid improvement of the flood situation, authorities warn that the situation may worsen in the coming days, as high-intensity rainfall is expected throughout the northern part of Albania.
The hydroelectric dams on the Drin River have been holding back much of the water — a boon for electricity generation — but they could reach over capacity forcing the government to empty them downstream, which leads to more flooding.
Opposition leaders have accused the government of not doing enough to prevent the floods. They called on the government to declare a state of emergency so there is financial assistance for those affected.
Albanian army vehicles have been deployed to help residents in the most endangered areas in Shkoder and Lezhe. The Minister of Defense, Niko Peleshi, who was present at meetings of the civil emergency headquarters in Shkodra District, said that the army is engaged in supporting the residents.
“We have deployed enough troops, who were here yesterday, throughout the night. We have also sent 120 additional troops and motor vehicles, either for navigation or to facilitate the mobility of people. On the other hand, we have helped the evacuation of all the families that have been evacuated to Shkoder so far,” he said.
The Minister of Defense called on the municipalities to quickly use the emergency fund to support the evacuated residents and those who are in difficulty in the flooded areas.
