Through a media release, the Ministry of Defense calls on local authorities to take measures and prepare for heavy rainfall this week.
"The Institute of Geosciences as well as the Military Meteorological Service predict that the last week of September will be characterized by rain, which will be of very high intensity in the Shkodra District and intense up to the average level in the Districts of Lezhë, Kukës, Dibër, Durrës, Tirana, Elbasan, Fier, Berat, Vlorë and Gjirokastër. As a result of rainfall, there may be rapid flooding of small mountain rivers and landslides. Problems can also exist in urban areas, in these regions where problems with localized flooding may appear.
An increase in flows is expected in the rivers Drin-Buna, Lake Shkodra and Drini i Lezha. Based on these data, the Ministry of Defense and the Civil Protection Agency call on the local authorities to take all necessary measures, especially warning the population in those areas, where it is predicted that they have a higher risk of being affected by the storm or the floods. The Civil Protection Agency asks the local government structures to take the necessary measures for the continuous control of drainage canal systems, to constantly monitor the condition of river embankments, water catchment dams and catastrophic dischargers, to check the functionality of hydrovores as well as to keep in readiness the logistical capacities and human resources of the operational forces to cope with any possible situation.
The Ministry of Defense and the National Agency of Civil Defense will be in constant monitoring of the situation and in full readiness to help in emergency cases", concludes the announcement of the ministry.