TIRANA, Oct. 13 – Flooding caused by heavy rains has damaged highways, forced power cuts and claimed the life of a motorist whose car was swept away by a swollen river.
Albania’s Ministry of Interior said that the 50-year-old man died Sunday near the city of Vlora, about 150 kilometers southwest of capital Tirana.
Continuous heavy rain over the weekend caused flooding in Vlora and Fier, 100 kilometers south of Tirana, where some 40 families were evacuated from their homes. Damage to national roads was reported in many parts of southern and western Albania.
Emergency services remain on alert as more rain is forecast in coming days.
Some hundreds of emergency officials, including the army, intervened to help the communities in these two cities.
Despite the lack of rain mid week, many areas in the two cities remained under water, and more rain is expected next week.
Deputy Prime Minister Niko Peleshi visited the two flooded regions and said the government had set six million euros to spend on the repair of the infrastructure to prevent future flooding.
Most of the sum, about 4 million euros, would be spent in Vlora alone, he said.
The main opposition Democratic Party has criticized the government’s response as slow. It accuses authorities of not doing enough to help flood victims.
