Heavy Floods Hit Macedonia's Northeast

Heavy rains caused Pcinja River to run over its banks and caused flooding in several nearby villages. 4,000 hectares of arable land have been flooded, the State Protection and Rescue Directorate estimates.

“The directorate's rapid response units at first tried to rescue the campers with a boat, but were unable to come close enough due to fallen trees obstructing the path. As a result, a helicopter from the Interior Ministry was used to pull out three people,” the directorate said in a press release.

The directorate reported that at least five other people were rescued from the water, which pulled down trees and crushed bridges.

Minister of Defense Zoran Konjanovski visited the area and promised immediate support for the affected residents.

Less severe flood damage was also registered in the region of Kriva Palanka and Kratovo. The northwestern parts of the country, near the town of Tetovo, also suffered due to flooding from the river Vardar.