At least 15 dead after worst flooding ‘Skopje has ever seen’

Heavy rain, strong winds and thunderstorms hit Macedonian capital at weekend

People drive cars through a flooded street in Skopje, Macedonia. Photograph: Georgi Licovski/EPA
People drive cars through a flooded street in Skopje, Macedonia. Photograph: Georgi Licovski/EPA

At least 15 people have died after Macedonia was hit by torrential rain and floods.

Six others are missing and another 22 injured in the storms that lashed Skopje.

Police spokeswoman Natalija Spirova Kordikj said heavy rain, strong winds and thunderstorms hit the Macedonian capital and its suburbs late on Saturday. She did not specify how the victims died.

People drive cars through a flooded street in Skopje, Macedonia. Photograph: Georgi Licovski/EPA
People drive cars through a flooded street in Skopje, Macedonia. Photograph: Georgi Licovski/EPA

Special police, army units and firefighters have been sent to the worst-hit areas in the capital’s northern suburbs and the nearby villages of Stajkovci, Aracinovo and Smiljkovci.

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Hundreds of homes and vehicles have been destroyed by the floods, roads are impassable and several areas are without electricity.

Skopje mayor Koce Trajanovski has described the situation as "the worst Skopje has ever seen".

– AP