site.btaTorrential Rains in Albania and Northwestern Greece Cause Local Flooding

Torrential rains in Albania and northwestern Greece in recent days have led to flooded homes, the evacuation of families, and power outages in some areas, according to Albanian and Greek media outlets.

The Albanian news portal Shqiptarja says the worst damage is in northwestern Albania (the municipality of Kurbin in Lezha County and the northern coastal city of Durres), where homes and businesses have been flooded. Overflowing drainage channels left farmland, streets, and yards under water.

There are also reports of debris on roads throughout the country. According to Albanian Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, cited by Albanian Radio and Television, traffic on nearly all roads is moving without major problems, and authorities are working round-the-clock to resolve the issues.

In the towns of Mamurras and Milot in Lezhe County, 50 and 40 homes respectively have been flooded, Shqiptarja reports. Around Durres, about 50 households have been affected.

The Albanian Ministry of Defense, cited by the portal, stated that five families near Durres and four in Lezha County, whose homes were flooded, were evacuated and temporarily relocated by local authorities.

Shqiptarja also reports that 80 families in a village in the municipality of Kurbin have been cut off after the overflowing Droja River destroyed a road. Overflowing mountain rivers have swept away other road infrastructure in the municipality, and landslides have formed along some routes.

Heavy rain and strong winds damaged power poles in some areas, causing electricity outages in villages in the northern part of the country. The national electricity distribution operator (OSHEE) is working on site, and supply has already been restored in some areas.

The rains also caused problems in the Greek part of Epirus, specifically around the city of Ioannina and the regional unit of Thesprotia in northwestern Greece, Greek state broadcaster ERT reported.

The roof of a four-story apartment building in Ambelokipi near Ioannina was damaged last night by lightning. The incident frightened residents but caused no injuries.

Two people were rescued from a vehicle trapped on a road blocked by landslides and debris in the Konitsa area.

A fallen tree at the port of Igoumenitsa on the Ionian Sea caused damage to a restaurant and to balconies of a nearby apartment block. No one is reported hurt.