Severe flooding kills three in Albania, hundreds evacuated

Torrential rains and storms that hit Albania on Tuesday have killed three people. leading hundreds to be evacuated, the state authorities said on Tuesday afternoon.

The three victims were taken away by river streams, police sources confirmed.

Civil emergencies staff, Albanian army, the Ministry of Defense, the Interior Ministry and many other institutions here have been in full alert and ready to cope with the aggravated situation created by the floods.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama held a meeting with emergency operations office to be briefed on the situation. He appealed for immediate response measures to support citizens.

The Ministry of Defense announced in a press release that it has sent troops as well as helicopters, vehicles and small boats to help people in the worst-affected areas to be evacuated to safety.

The most affected cities are Tirana, Durres and Fushe-Kruja (central Albania), Vlora, Gjirokastra (south of Albania) and Shkodra, Lezha, Peshkopia (north of Albania).

Many roads were still blocked while hundreds of houses were under water, according to official sources.

The surface of agricultural land under water, mainly in the north of Albania, kept increasing as rivers have burst their banks and water discharged from hydropower plants in Drin River rose.

Meantime, the Albanian ministry of education ordered the closure of kindergartens and schools while the interior ministry ordered the local authorities and emergency committees to activate their emergency plans. Endit