Violent storms and torrential rains over the past 24 hours triggered floods, killing three people and causing damages to the power and water supply and closed schools across Albania on Tuesday, the Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA) informs.
Whole state structures and the Albanian army are on high alert, while Prime Minister Edi Rama called a meeting of the Emergency Operations Office to be briefed on the situation and discuss flood response measures.
The Ministry of Defence has sent troops and other personnel, helicopters, vehicles and small boats to help people in worst-affected areas evacuate to safety. Roads and homes across the country were flooded putting many lives at risk as local rivers have burst their banks.
Ferries and ships have been unable to dock in the country's main ports in Durres and Vlora, keeping hundreds of passengers aboard.
The situation is deteriorating due to landslides, while water discharges from hydro-power plants over Drin River cascade have caused rivers to burst their banks, flooding large swathes of agricultural land in northern parts of the country.
Many roads, including the highway between Tirana and the port city of Durres, have been blocked with water level reaching over 50 cm.
The Ministry of Education ordered that schools be closed, whereas the Minister of Interior ordered all local government authorities and emergency committees to activate their emergency plans.
Areas in Lezha, Shkodra, Gjirokastra and Fushe-Kruja are the worst-hit by the floods. Troops and emergency crews evacuated three families in the town of Fushe-Kruja, while floods have also hit northern towns of Peshkopia and Bulqiza.
Tirana has been also badly affected as the city's drainage system failed to cope with the water flows due to the heavy downpours. Large areas and many houses were inundated in the northern city of Shkodra.
Heavy rain, up to 100 millimeters by midday, is forecast to continue into Wednesday.
The army is on standby to help emergency service workers with evacuation efforts.
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