Powerful storms in the Balkans, two victims in Albania / DW: Human-induced climate change the cause

The Balkans were swept by powerful storms. According to authorities in Albania, two people lost their lives as a result of the bad weather.

In North Macedonia, dozens of people were injured, local authorities announced on Wednesday.

In Himara, on the southern coast of Albania, an electrician lost his life while trying to repair a power line damaged by the storm.

Albanian police also announced that the body of a 61-year-old fisherman was found in the southern region of Saranda. According to Albanian media reports, his boat had been capsized by the storm.

Also according to these reports, three people were taken to hospital in Saranda with injuries caused by fallen trees and being struck by broken glass shards.

In North Macedonia, the stormy winds reached speeds of up to 134 kilometers per hour. In the capital Skopje, according to authorities, more than 30 people were injured, 100 vehicles damaged, and 189 trees uprooted. The Presidency building, several ministries and the airport were also damaged.

In Bosnia, the southern region of Herzegovina was the hardest hit. The mayor of the municipality of Nevesinje, Milenko Avdalovic, told Bosnian RTRS television that the storm caused “great damage” to agricultural fields and orchards. In the affected villages, “our farmers will have practically nothing left to harvest,” he said.

Scientists estimate that extreme weather events, such as storms, are becoming increasingly powerful and frequent as a result of climate change caused by human activity./DW