Several towns and villages have been severely affected by the torrential rains that began in Albania on Tuesday, causing schools to close in Durres, one of the most damaged cities.
The Defense Ministry has not yet released a damage report so far, but the situation looks dramatic in several cities. Opposition leader Sali Berisha called on the government to declare a state of emergency in the affected areas. “The damage is very great,” he said.
"Over 100 employees, dozens of vehicles and high-capacity pumps have been deployed in Lezha, Durrës, Gjirokastër and wherever necessary, as we prepare for another day on the front lines, to guarantee the safety of residents and to face any situation," said Defense Minister Pirro Vengu on Wednesday.
The opposition has blamed the government for the lack of maintenance of drainage systems, stating that this is the main reason for the floods.
“The situation is more than dramatic, it is a man-made disaster. There has been over 30 million euros of investment in building the drainage system in recent years and this is the result. In one year this area has been flooded three times,” Oerd Bylykbashi, a Democratic Party MP, said on Wednesday, referring to the Durrës area.
About 20 people in Durrës gathered in protest on Wednesday, complaining that their homes had been flooded, but no one had gone to see the situation up close. In the northern area of Dibra, according to media reports, six families were trapped by water in the village of Xibra.
Prime Minister Edi Rama said there were problems on 17 roads due to the rainfall, but rejected accusations that the problems were due to the responsibility of the authorities.
"I don't understand why they're not blaming me, the government, or even the municipality of Durrës for the recent torrential rains in Italy, Greece, Montenegro, Croatia, and so on," he said ironically./Reporter.al
