Published: August 7,2016
At least 17 are
dead, six are missing and 60 have been hospitalized after torrential
rain hit the Macedonian capital of Skopje, authorities said Sunday.
Police and army helicopters have been dispatched to search for the
missing and hundreds have been evacuated from the flood zone.
"A
southward dip in the jet stream that moved across Europe late last week
formed into a closed area of low pressure aloft over Italy,” said
weather.com meteorologist Chris Dolce. “On the eastern flank of that low
is where the heavy rain occurred in the Balkans where Macedonia is
located. More rain is possible early this week as the low passes through the Balkans."
The
system brought heavy rain, strong winds and thunderstorms into the city
and its northern suburbs late Saturday, according to the Associated
Press. The floods destroyed hundreds of homes and vehicles and roads are
still impassable. Several areas remain without electricity.
"We
can officially report 17 people dead and just a 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 many of the
injured had fractures and contusions.
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"This is a catastrophe of unprecedented proportion," Deputy Prime Minister Nikola Todorov said in a statement obtained by Reuters.
A
section of the ring road around Skopje was swept away during the heavy
rainfall and some cars had been carried hundreds of meters into nearby
fields, Reuters reports.
After a meeting of the
National Crisis Management Center, Health Minister Nikola Todorov said
the death toll could soon rise. He said the government plans to declare a
state of emergency shortly for two weeks in the most affected region.
Local media reported that most victims drowned in their houses when torrents swept through the area.
Authorities urged people to stay at home and to only drink bottled water.
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