At least 15 people died and six more were missing after heavy rains triggered flash floods in and around the Macedonian capital of Skopje on Saturday evening, a police official said on Sunday.
Advertisement
Especially badly hit were villages on the outskirts of the capital including Smilkovci, Singelic, Stajkovci and Aracinovo.
This photo taken on August 7 in the village of Stajkovci, near Skopje, shows a vehicle in a canal damaged from flooding.
Local media reported that ambulances were called out 65 times across the city, more than 20 people were treated in hospital, and the army was called in to help.
“We can officially report 17 people dead and just while ago we have received the reports of three more deaths, so the total number will be probably 20 victims”, Todorov told reporters, adding that numerous injured had fractures and contusions.
The mayor said Skopje had never experienced such a disaster.
“This is a catastrophe of unprecedented proportion”, Deputy Prime Minister Nikola Todorov said on Sunday, adding that the death toll may rise further.
Reports said the water level reached as high as 1.5 metres (five feet) in parts of the affected suburbs.
Authorities warned of health risks because of the floods in Macedonia, and called on people to not drink tap water but only water from sealed bottles. He could not confirm the exact numbers quoted by the state news agency. Only cars were allowed down the sections of a highway and a regional road further north near the port of Rijeka.
Croatia also was hit by bad weather, with strong winds leading to serious traffic disruptions.
Advertisement
Macedonia held a day of mourning Monday after at least 21 people were killed in flooding and violent winds as a freak storm battered the capital Skopje.
