Torrential rain caused flooding across parts of Albania’s main port city of Durres on January 6, forcing evacuations, closing roads and prompting the government to deploy the army, pumps and emergency crews as rivers and drainage systems struggled to cope.

Defence Minister Pirro Vengu said authorities had activated the national emergency mechanism over the weekend and were concentrating resources in the worst-hit areas, particularly Durres and the northern region of Lezha.

“We formed the emergency committee and distributed the entire risk map at the national level, concentrating both forces and resources in those areas where the greatest risk was assessed,” Vengu said in a joint briefing with Agriculture Minister Andis Salla, according to a government statement.

He said the situation had worsened early on January 6 in Durres, especially in the Kënetë Spitallë area and parts of the city centre, where water had entered homes and limited access to some schools.

“In the early hours of the morning we have an aggravation of the situation in Durrës … where some interventions have been carried out near homes, as well as access to some schools has been limited due to the water situation throughout the city of Durrës,” he said.

Local media and defence ministry images showed streets and cars partly submerged under water, with residents wading through knee-deep water. One video circulating on social media showed a man using a surfboard and paddle to move through a flooded street as vehicles remained stranded.

Authorities evacuated at least eight families after water entered their homes, according to media reports. Vengu said a total of 10 families had been moved out of flooded properties in Durres and nearby Shijak.

“At the moment, we have evacuated 10 families in Durrës and Shijak from their homes, where they are practically surrounded by water,” he said, adding that municipal authorities and state material reserves were providing assistance.

The flooding has also hit agricultural land, especially in Lezha and Durres counties. Salla said several hectares were underwater but that drainage structures were being kept on standby.

“Lezha and Durrës have a problem with the flooding of agricultural areas, mainly several hectares are currently flooded, but the structures are also on standby,” he said.

He urged local officials to work closely with drainage boards and civil protection units. “We must also coordinate with civil emergencies and the drainage boards due to the problems related to flooding in some of the main canals that risk overflowing, so that we can prevent flooding that is currently mainly in agricultural lands, so that we do not have problems with citizens' homes,” Salla said.

The defence ministry said it had deployed military equipment and personnel to support civilian authorities.

“Considering the situation on the ground, both in Durrës and Lezha, at the request of the prefectures, the Armed Forces Support Command, the General Staff have ensured the deployment of vehicles, suction pumps and high-passenger firefighting vehicles,” Vengu said.

He added that additional forces could be sent to Lezha if river levels rise further, with the Vau i Dejës unit on standby.

“The intense rainfall will continue in the coming hours, so the national Civil Emergency Mechanism has requested maximum preparedness from all municipalities in the country,” he said, calling for close coordination with the power grid operators OSHEE and OST to keep electricity supplies running.

Vengu said Albania’s hydropower cascade was being closely managed by the state-owned Albanian Energy Corporation to prevent uncontrolled flooding.

“Since yesterday evening, controlled discharges have begun in order to prevent forced discharges,” he said. “We are in conditions where the situation is under control for the moment… it is very necessary to carry out these controlled discharges to prevent larger floods.”

He added that “all hydropower plants are fully operational, from Lezha to Vlora”, after maintenance work in recent days.

The flooding also affected the Durres penitentiary, where water entered lower floors. Authorities transferred pretrial detainees, including former health minister Ilir Beqaj and Tirana mayor Erion Veliaj, from ground-floor cells to higher levels as a precaution, local media reported. Footage broadcast by local outlets showed water pooled around the prison complex.