Storms that swept across the Balkans overnight Tuesday to Wednesday left at least one person dead in Albania and caused "enormous damage" to crops in Bosnia.
The storms followed weeks of heatwaves and intense drought across central Europe and the Balkans.
In Albania, an electrician was killed in Himara, on the southern coast, while attempting to repair a power line damaged by the storm.
Three other people were hospitalised in Saranda with injuries from falling trees and broken glass, local media reported.
In Bosnia, the southern region of Herzegovina was the hardest-hit, notably Nevesinje and its surroundings.
The town's mayor Milenko Avdalovic said on Wednesday that the storm had caused "enormous damage" to crops.
"In the villages hit by the storm ... our farmers will have practically nothing left to harvest," he said.
"The storm swept everything away," he told public television RTRS, referring to fields of potatoes, onions and cabbages, as well as orchards.
Almost the whole of North Macedonia was hit by violent winds with gusts of up to 134 kilometres (83 miles) per hour.
In Skopje, more than 100 vehicles were damaged and 189 trees were brought down.
Several public buildings were also damaged, including the presidency, several ministries, and the airport.
Scientists warn that extreme weather events are likely to become more frequent and intense globally as the planet continues to warm due to fuossil fuel emissions.
burs-cbo/ljv/pdw
| Buy Advertising | About Us | Editorial & Other Enquiries | Privacy statement |
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, is Copyright 1995-2026 Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principles for news reporting and research purposes. |
