TIRANA, Jan 9 /ATA/ – Prime Minister Edi Rama said on Friday that flooding across Albania has affected 1,587 homes and more than 13,000 hectares of agricultural land, while 339 people from 51 families have been evacuated.
Speaking at a meeting of the Inter-ministerial Committee for Civil Emergencies, the government head provided an update on the situation caused by severe weather and exceptionally heavy rainfall in recent days.
“Rainfall levels have decreased across the country, with the exception of Durres, where 41 millimetres of rain were recorded. A municipal employee in Durres has been found drowned,” Rama said.
He said flood water had entered 1,587 homes nationwide so far, while 339 people from 51 families had been evacuated.
The Premier added that water was present on 13,211 hectares of agricultural land, with parts of it flooded, and had also affected several health centres and educational facilities.
Rainfall in some areas reached up to 300 millimetres, exceeding the monthly average in just three to four days, he said.
The government head attributed the phenomenon to climate change, noting that such extreme weather events were becoming increasingly common worldwide.
“In parts of the western lowlands, rainfall over four to five days amounted to around 25% of the average annual total,” Rama said, adding that the increased water flows had overwhelmed drainage systems, mountain streams and rivers, leading to flooding.
Rama said the flooding occurred despite extensive investments over the past decade to upgrade flood protection infrastructure.
/u.sh/
