Heavy rain in Albania causes rivers to overflow; 1 dead

TIRANA, Albania – Albania says heavy rains all over the Adriatic country have flooded riverbanks and led to the death of an energy worker.

A government statement Sunday said a power corporation employee died while repairing an electric line in northern Albania.

Many roads have been temporarily blocked by water or mudslides, ports were temporarily closed and hundreds of army and police forces have been sent into threatened areas.

Army forces saved 17 people in a minivan that was blocked by an overflowing river in the Tirana district and 17 families in southwest Albania were evacuated together with their livestock.

Heavy rainfall in December killed one person in Albania, flooded 40,000 acres of agricultural land and damaged thousands of homes, schools and bridges.