Days of heavy rain cause flooding in western Albania

TIRANA, Albania – Heavy rain in Albania over the past three days has flooded thousands of acres of fields, blocked roads and forced authorities to evacuate scores of people, officials said Friday.

The government’s emergency committee said more than 5,000 hectares (12,350 acres) were inundated in the north and west of the country.

Thousands of soldiers joined local authorities to help people mainly in the northwestern Shkoder and Lezha districts and southwestern Vlora, where crops were destroyed.

Rain is forecast to continue over the next three days.