Extreme weather conditions covered much of the Balkans today, with stormy winds, torrential rain, flooding and heavy snowfall causing serious difficulties in transport, energy supply and daily life in a number of countries in the region, BTA reported.
In western Turkey, a powerful storm with hurricane-force winds and heavy rainfall led to local flooding and the suspension of sea traffic through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles. In Istanbul, where wind speeds in places exceeded 70 km/h today, ferry lines were canceled, and fallen trees caused material damage and injured a pedestrian.
Albania was also affected by torrential rains, which flooded hundreds of households and forced the evacuation of the population in several districts. Rivers have risen to critical levels, and the body of a man was found, presumably swept away by the rising waters. The cities of Shkodra, Lezha, Durres, Fier, Berat and Gjirokastra are the most affected, with over 800 households flooded in Durres alone and hundreds of people evacuated. The rainfall is expected to gradually decrease, and in some places turn to snow. Tirana International Airport warned of changes to landing and departing flights and urged citizens to monitor current information from air carriers.
In Romania, snowfall and low temperatures have left over 11,000 households without power in several counties. Authorities have carried out thousands of emergency interventions, with the problems mainly related to snow-covered and difficult-to-reach areas. In many educational institutions in the country, classes will be held online or canceled due to adverse weather conditions. Severe cold snaps are expected with minimum temperatures of -15 degrees Celsius. Rail traffic is also disrupted, with major train delays reported.
In Greece, strong winds paralyzed ferry traffic, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded in ports. Sea waves reached 8-9 on the Beaufort scale, blocking sea connections from Piraeus, Rafina and Lavrio to most islands. Authorities are urging travelers to monitor current information, as restrictions remain in place until conditions improve.
Serbia welcomed the second day of Christmas with snowy and icy roads, disruptions to public transport and emergency measures introduced in some areas. The situation remains most severe in Belgrade and the mountainous regions. Traffic is disrupted in the capital, trolleybuses are stopped, and some bus lines are running on changed routes. 20 people have been evacuated from threatened areas in the country, and authorities assure that the situation is under control. New morning frosts are expected with temperatures as low as -14 degrees.
An orange code for extreme cold has been declared in Slovenia, with temperatures as low as -20 degrees. Due to previous snowfalls and subsequent frost, road conditions remain difficult, and health authorities warn of increased risk for vulnerable groups of the population.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the situation is calm, but authorities warn of dangers. Although snowfall in Sarajevo has stopped, accumulated snow and low temperatures continue to cause serious difficulties, especially in hilly and difficult-to-reach parts of the city. Main roads and public transport are operating relatively normally, but cleaning of secondary streets is lagging behind due to a shortage of equipment and personnel. Local authorities are taking additional measures and calling on citizens to be more careful, as the risks will continue to exist even with possible warming and melting of snow.
In Montenegro, heavy rainfall and overflowing rivers continue to cause traffic difficulties and flooding in individual municipalities, although in a number of areas the situation is gradually stabilizing and is under control. Some of the roads remain closed due to landslides and high water levels, and evacuations have been carried out in some places, while the army and rescue services are working on temporary infrastructure and drainage.
In the Republic of North Macedonia, heavy rainfall caused river overflows, flooding and landslides. Residents in Kičevo have been evacuated, and flooding has been registered in areas around Vardar, Ohrid, Resen and Gostivar. Traffic on a number of roads is difficult due to landslides, with the competent services on the ground calling for increased caution. The situation in the Vardar River basin and its tributaries remains the most critical.
Fifteen families were evacuated from one neighborhood in the northern Kosovo city of Mitrovica today due to flooding, the Koha Ditore newspaper reported. According to the commander of the fire brigade in the southern part of the city, Burim Ibishi, almost the entire area is flooded, and teams are working on site to eliminate the problems and evacuate more citizens.
Meteorological services in the region are calling for increased caution and compliance with the authorities' instructions, as unstable weather is expected to continue in the coming days.