Floods in Albania force hundreds of evacuations

TIRANA, Albania – About 500 families have been evacuated in western Albania after a river broke its banks following heavy rain, flooding thousands of hectares, damaging homes and roads and killing livestock.

Police and soldiers have been deployed to Lushnje, 80 kilometers (50 miles) southwest of capital Tirana, where the Shkumbini River flooded early Thursday.

Hundreds of other families have been evacuated in other areas over the past two days and many areas, including of the capital, Tirana, have suffered flooding, and landslides have blocked some main roads. No deaths or serious injuries have been reported so far.