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More than 12,000 people were evacuated from their homes in Shkodër Region due to floods that have hit the country in the past week, a civil services official said here on Saturday:
"Some 14,000 hectares (34,595 acres) of farming land are under water that has blocked and completely isolated several villages in the region of Shkodër endangering people's lives." - Leonard Olli declared.
Some 1,500 police and soldiers have been deployed in the northern region to help with the evacuation of residents and to secure food for them.
At least 4,597 houses have been damaged and 2,561 were completely flooded, a police report said.
Despite repeated calls from the authorities, most villagers in the Shkodra region have refused to leave their homes and abandon their cattle.
Main entrances into Shkodra are blocked while several parts of the town where the water level is higher than two meters (3.2 feet) have no electricity. National road to Montenegro is blocked.
"The situation is very difficult," Albanian President Bamir Topi said in Shkodra.
Topi said he had called for help from NATO countries and talked by phone with his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gül who promised logistic help for flooded areas.
The authorities fear that new heavy rains – according to weather forecast - could raise the water level and cause the breaking of water-gates at hydro-electric power plants, causing a disaster and endangering lives in the Shkodër region.
Heavy rains have also caused problems and major material damages in other parts of Albania.
Albanian Foreign Minister had yesterday a meeting with representatives of Diplomatic Corps in Albania and Foreign Governmental Development Agencies asking for support in medicaments, medical materials, boats, helicopters.
This evening will arrive in Shkoder the first 4 cars with clothes, food and hygienic materials as the beginning of the support from the Italian Red Cross for the Albanian Red Cross.
Support (drinking water, bread) to people still remaining in the houses is done using helicopters or boats. This is the situation in the effected communes, like Dajc, Velipoje, Rrethina, Berdice, Velipoje, Guri i Zi, etc. as well as in some surrounding quarters in the city of Shkodër.
Albania, ALBANIA, Mon 06 Dec 2010, 19:27 GMT
THE ALBANIAN GOVERNMENT IS CALLING UP ITS MILITARY TO HELP RESCUE RESIDENTS TRAPPED BY DEEP FLOOD WATERS.
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OFFICIALS HAVE ALSO ASKED MEMBERS OF NATO FOR HELP PICKING UP PEOPLE FROM FLOODED AREAS, AS WELL AS DELIVERING FOOD AND OTHER SUPPLIES.
MORE THAN TWELVE-THOUSAND PEOPLE HAVE LEFT THEIR HOMES SINCE THE SHKODRA LAKE AND BUNA RIVER OVERFLOWED A WEEK AGO DUE TO TORRENTIAL RAINS.
IT'S THE WORST FLOODING THE COUNTRY HAS SEEN IN DECADES.
