Two dead in Albania and many injured in North Macedonia after violent storms

The Balkans were battered by severe storms overnight, leaving a trail of destruction and fatalities. In Albania, at least two people died amidst the violent weather. An electrician lost his life in Himara while attempting to repair a power line downed by the storm. In Saranda, a 61-year-old fisherman, identified as Mr. Z., was found dead after his boat capsized at sea during the tempest.

North Macedonia bore the brunt of the high winds, with gusts reaching 134 km/h in Stip and 130 km/h in the capital, Skopje. The storm left over 30 people injured in Skopje alone, requiring hospitalization. Authorities reported receiving more than 9,000 emergency calls throughout the night, responding to hundreds of incidents. The capital experienced significant damage, with over 100 vehicles damaged, 189 trees uprooted, and several public buildings, including ministries and the airport, sustaining damage.

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Our farmers will have practically nothing to harvest: the storm took everything.

Southern Bosnia, particularly the Herzegovina region, suffered "enormous damage" to agricultural crops, according to the mayor of Nevesinje, Milenko Avdalovic. He expressed deep concern for local farmers, stating that the storm had destroyed harvests of potatoes, onions, and cabbage, as well as damaging orchards. Similar devastation was reported in the Grude and Ljubuski regions, where vineyards were also affected.

These violent storms arrived after a period of intense heatwaves and droughts across Central Europe and the Balkans, raising concerns about the combined impact of extreme weather events on the region.

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We found the body of Mr. Z., a 61-year-old fisherman. According to initial information, Mr. Z., who had gone out to fish, drowned at sea on Tuesday evening.