TIRANA, Jan. 7 – Freezing cold weather across the country has caused several deoffaths and wreaked havoc on the Albania’s roads and other infrastructure.
The past two weeks have seen snow and ice cover many roads and streets in cities located in higher elevations.
That has blocked traffic, especially during the last days of December when heavy trucks could not pass areas in the eastern part of the country, causing a major jam at Qafe Thane on the border with neighboring Macedonia.
The local media has also reported a few deaths caused by freezing temperatures, mainly in the southeast regions.
Authorities tried to assist the opening blocked roads, and have launched a lawsuit against a company that had been hired to clean up the national highway and apparently neglected its duties.
Two managers of the private company and two senior officials of the road department in Korca were arrested and accused of abuse with the public money.
During the New Year’s eve, two villagers in Divjaka died after they went out to fish. Two other fishermen in the Durres district have been lost for days and their bodies have not been found despite the search from police and military authorities. The seas have been rough for days.
The harsh weather also caused many problems for electricity supply in many areas around the country. Many areas especially rural ones suffered power cuts even at the New Year’s evening celebrations after the power pillars were damaged from the heavy snow and ice.
In northern districts of Albania, residents faced cold weather due to snow and strong winds.
Tough winter weather is made worse by social problems and poverty, which in rural Albania are greater than in the rest of the country.
In certain parts of the country state social services have been urging businesses and other organizations to contribute to families living in poverty. More than 10,000 families in the Shkodra County alone live under minimal poverty alleviation state assistance.
