Heavy rainfall that fell overnight has caused flooding in several parts of Kosovo.
In the capital, several roads have been flooded, making vehicle movement difficult.
In Skenderaj, the mayor of the municipality, Sami Lushtaku, wrote that last night's rainfall, which continues today, has brought flooding to several areas, causing difficulties for a number of families.
"Emergency firefighting teams have been engaged in the field since midnight and are monitoring the situation with increased caution. In cooperation with all emergency teams within the municipality, we will continue to be close to citizens to face this situation together," he wrote on Facebook.
Even in Malisheva, the underground parking lot was flooded due to heavy rainfall, a few days after its inauguration.
The Municipality of Pristina has warned that, according to the Kosovo Hydrometeorological Institute, rainfall is expected to continue and as a result there may be difficulties in road traffic, overloading of sewage and stormwater, accumulation of water in urban areas and underpasses, and the risk of local landslides in sensitive areas.
"We appeal to citizens to show increased caution when moving, to avoid flooded areas and to report any situation that poses a risk to public safety. The relevant institutions of the Capital are on full alert to monitor the situation and intervene as needed," the Municipality said in a statement.
The Municipality of Drenas has also reported flooding in many road segments.
"According to information from the field, the Drenas-Grabovc road, the Old Çiktova area, the Drenas Crafts Center and the center of Komorani have been most affected by the floods caused by the large amount of rainfall. Citizens also report other areas in the Drenas Municipality as being affected by the floods," the announcement states, while mentioning that the municipality has warned citizens not to affect the natural water flows from construction or covering canals. "For illegal interventions that have blocked these natural water flows, officials will take measures to overcome them as well as legal actions against the causes of these interventions with consequences for private and public property."
This municipality has appealed for increased caution and for citizens to choose alternative routes and areas where possible.
On the other hand, the Kosovo Hydrometeorological Institute has announced that from January 3-5, in the western part of Kosovo, significant rainfall was recorded, which significantly affected the increase in water levels and flows.
He further announced that it mainly concerns rivers that flow from the Albanian Alps and, as a result, may have overflowed their beds.
Acting Deputy Minister of Infrastructure, Hysen Durmishi, has announced that they are on standby to manage flooding from rainfall.
He wrote in a Facebook post that they are on the ground and are intervening to improve traffic conditions.
"Since last night we have been on standby to best manage the rainfall, which has also affected some of our roads. Maintenance teams are on the ground and we are intervening wherever possible to improve traffic conditions. However, we also need your cooperation, we ask you to drive with increased caution and adapt to road conditions," the announcement says.
Some municipalities without drinking water
The Regional Water Supply Company "Mitrovica" has announced an interruption of water supply due to increased turbidity in the Iber-Lepenc canal.
This company has said that it is forced to cut off the water and that the measure is being taken in order to guarantee the safety and quality of drinking water.
"Our technical teams are on the ground and are continuously monitoring the situation. Water supply will be restored immediately after the turbidity level normalizes and safe conditions for distribution are created," the announcement said on Tuesday morning.
The water supply interruption has affected Fushë-Kosova, Drenas, Obiliq and part of the "Kalabria" neighborhood in Pristina, the Regional Water Supply Company "Prishtina" has announced. It is expected that other areas in the capital will also be affected by supply reductions.
Due to flooding, the teaching process is postponed to January 12 for all schools
Photo: Driton Paçarada
The start of the second semester of the school year has been postponed until January 12 in all municipalities of the country due to rainfall and difficult conditions in some areas.
The Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation has announced that based on information from the field, it has been determined that the start of the teaching process scheduled for Thursday is impossible. However, the Ministry further announced that these two days will be replaced during the second half of the 2025/2026 school year.
"As a result of the floods and the aggravated situation in most municipalities, as well as the difficult traffic due to continuous rainfall, which according to the Hydrometeorological Institute of Kosovo (IHMK) is expected to continue in the coming days, causing local floods, difficulties in communication, problems in sewage systems and traffic obstacles, the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation has decided that the winter break will continue for two more days at the national level, respectively on January 8 and 9," the MESTI decision states.
KRU "Mitrovica" appeals to consumers not to use water for drinking
The Regional Water Supply Company "Mitrovica" has announced that due to high levels of turbidity in the water supply sources, the drinking water treatment plants are unable to operate safely and consequently the water should not be used for drinking.
"During the evening hours, a temporary decrease in the turbidity level was noted and attempts were made to resume water treatment. However, these attempts have not been successful, as the turbidity level has started to increase again. In this context, we inform consumers that even in cases where water reaches the network, it should NOT be used for drinking, but only for hygienic and technical purposes, until further notice. Our teams are constantly monitoring the situation and we will keep you informed in a timely manner about any changes or improvements in the situation," announced the KRU "Mitrovica" via a post on Facebook.
The heavy rains that began on Monday have caused flooding in several parts of Kosovo, while also causing disruptions in water supply.
Floods in Kosovo, Emergency Management Agency issues report
Photo: Archive
Photo: Driton Paçarada
The Emergency Management Agency has published a report on the flood situation in Kosovo on Tuesday, for the period from 12:00 to 15:00. In the report, the EMA said that the situation appears manageable.
The EMA announced in the report that assistance was requested in Gjakova for the evacuation of over 20 families, in coordination with the Kosovo Security Forces.
There were floods in yards, basements and certain streets in Fushë-Kosovo, Drenas, Malisheva, Rahovec, Klina, Mitrovica, Vushtrri, Skenderaj and Gjakova.
"According to information from the Professional Fire and Rescue Units (PFRU), and the Directorates for Public Services and Emergencies (DSHPE) coordinated by the Emergency Operations Centers 112, the flooding situation appears manageable, with localized cases in several municipalities. The most affected regions: Fushë Kosovë/Kosovo Polje, Drenas, Malisheva, Rahovec, Klina, Mitrovica, Vushtrri, Skenderaj and Gjakova - flooding in yards, basements and certain streets; In Gjakova, assistance has been requested for the evacuation of over 20 families, in coordination with the KSF; In most other municipalities, the situation is relatively calm and stable, under continuous monitoring. All teams of the Protection and Rescue forces are on the ground and the situation is being continuously monitored by the emergency communication system of the Emergency Management Agency", the AME announced.
Emergency Headquarters convenes in Mitrovica after the situation worsened by the floods
The Mayor of South Mitrovica, Faton Peci, announced that on Tuesday night he called an extraordinary meeting of the Emergency Staff following the floods caused by continuous rainfall.
"Emergency Headquarters. The entire state mechanism, both at the local and central levels, are on standby along with volunteer teams for immediate intervention from the floods in the Municipality of Mitrovica. Taking into account the weather worsened by the continuous rainfall and the risk of possible floods in the Mitrovica region, tonight at 21:00 I called an extraordinary meeting of all competent actors in the security and emergency intervention chain. At this meeting, coordination between institutions, assessment of the current situation on the ground, as well as measures that need to be taken were discussed. As Mayor of the Municipality, I am ready to make available all the necessary means to manage this situation", Peci announced through a post on Facebook.
"KosovaPress" reported that in the village of Koshtovë there was a more serious situation with flooding and that the KSF, firefighting units, among others, are at the scene.
Osmani: The situation requires maximum caution, the KSF is on alert
Photo: Archive
Photo: Driton Paçarada
The President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, has said that the situation created by the floods across the country requires maximum caution.
She expressed gratitude to institutions and citizens for their quick response, while saying that she had communicated with the mayors of the affected municipalities during the day.
Osmani emphasized that the Emergency Management Agency is working continuously together with law enforcement agencies, while adding that the Kosovo Security Force is fully prepared to provide support if the need arises.
"The situation requires maximum caution. I call on citizens to show vigilance and strictly respect the instructions of the competent institutions. Close cooperation and professional response remain crucial for successfully dealing with this situation," she wrote on Facebook.
Paçarizi: The situation in Malisheva is emergency, six families have been evacuated
Photo: Driton Paçarada
The spokesperson for the Municipality of Malisheva, Artan Paçarizi, said that the situation is emergency in this municipality as a result of flooding after heavy rainfall.
On the "60 Minutes" show on KTV, Paçarizi said that they have informed all residents of the villages closest to the Mirusha River to evacuate so as not to be in danger during the night.
He also announced that six families have been evacuated so far.
"We have informed them and the village heads and have called on them to remain on alert or to leave their homes now so that they are not at risk during the night. Six families or 12-13 residents have been evacuated. Two families in the village of Bubavec and four families in the city of Malisheva who were guests from another municipality due to a death they had and water penetrated that house and we have pulled the families and moved them to another place. Then they were escorted to their homes," said Paçarizi.
The worst situation as a result of the floods has occurred in the villages, however, spokesman Paçarizi says that the water level in the municipal parking lot was up to one meter.
"The rise in the water level in the Mirusha River has made it more difficult to drain water from the underpass and parking lot. Currently, there is 10 to 15 cm of water in the underpass and here the water was almost a meter high, but now the water level has dropped significantly and we expect the water to completely recede within an hour or two. However, it depends on the water level in the Mirusha River," said spokesman Paçarizi.
In some parts of this municipality, electricity was cut off during the day to avoid causing any additional danger. Spokesperson Paçarizi stated for the show "60 Minutes" on KTV that there will be no electricity supply in the coming days. The situation will be the same regarding the supply of drinking water.
Regarding the damages, he stated that households or families are the most affected so far, although businesses are also affected to a large extent. After the situation calms down, Paçarizi said that an assessment of the damages will be carried out.
Gruda: 20 families were evacuated in Drenas during the day
In Drenas and the surrounding villages, around 20 families were evacuated during the day, the director of Public Services and Emergencies of the Drenas Municipality, Nexhmedin Gruda, announced to "60 Minutes" on KTV.
Gruda said that the center of Drenas, the villages of Poklek i ri, Çikatovo e vijetër, Shtubullova and part of Tërstenik were the most affected.
"The situation has started to stabilize a bit at the moment... About 20 families were evacuated by the fire department in the morning, and citizens also came to their aid with the private boats they had. In the afternoon, we only had interventions on vehicles that remained blocked," said Gruda.
He indicated that the roads Drenas - Komoran, Drenas - Kroi i Mbretit and Drenas - Guri i plaksës continue to remain blocked for small vehicles.
"At the moment there are rare movements, some vehicles like vans or large vehicles," said Gruda. "We cannot say that we have total isolation, but we do not have free movement. We have called on citizens through the official website to be careful and not to go out without great need."
Gruda indicated that currently the most affected area is the transformers, where 6 pumps are being used, and the Emergency Management Agency and firefighters have also come to help.
Gruda said that the Kosovo Security Force has also offered assistance, but for the moment the situation is under control.
He indicated that the damages are considerable and that starting tomorrow, the Commission for the Assessment of Damage from Natural Disasters will be formed and an assessment will be made.
Gruda also indicated that the electricity situation has stabilized, after there was no electricity in Drenas for several hours. He said that the situation is being monitored, but he does not believe that a state of emergency will be declared.
And the mayor of Drenas, Ramiz Lladrovci, in a Facebook post called for not going out unnecessarily.
He indicated that two groups of Public Services and Emergencies, the Kosovo Police and the AME, are on the ground trying to improve the situation and monitoring it.
"The Drenas-Komoran road has been eased for traffic, currently the water level has dropped and is passable. I invite citizens to be careful and respect the traffic stop signs on some roads and near bridges. I thank citizens for respecting the orders of the competent authorities and contributors for easing the situation in these large-scale floods in the municipality of Drenas," wrote Lladrovci.
Mayor of Rahovec on today's floods: Hydrometeorological Institute has failed
Photo: Driton Paçarada
The Mayor of Rahovec/Orahovac, Smajl Latifi, has stated that the Kosovo Hydrometeorological Institute (KHI) has failed to warn municipal institutions about today's floods, emphasizing that the municipality has not received any official prior notification of the heavy rainfall.
Rahovec is one of the municipalities most affected by today's rainfall in Kosovo. Malisheva and Drenas have also reported significant damage.
"We were not informed at all. I think the IHMK has failed. We have not had any official report from them, as they usually should. They told us that they are working with reduced staff due to the end-of-year holidays," Latifi said on KTV's "60 Minutes" show on Tuesday.
According to him, no one knew that there would be such a large potential for rainfall, while the first warning from the IHMK came only today, via an email, stating that there would be rainfall in the next two days and that institutions should be on alert.
Latifi announced that the most severe situation was from midnight until around 11:00, when municipal teams, police, firefighters and various operators were on the ground to manage the situation and minimize the consequences of flooding in households, agricultural land and road infrastructure.
"There are roads that have collapsed, we have also had problems with KEDS due to fallen electric poles. We have acted together to minimize the damage," he added.
Laitifi has told of a case in the village of Çifllag, where two elderly women had refused to leave their flooded house. But they were later evacuated by emergency teams and are currently in good condition. According to Latifi, there are currently no people stranded in the municipality.
The Mayor of Rahovec has confirmed that they have also been contacted by President Vjosa Osmani, Minister Elbert Krasniqi and Hysen Durmishi, who have offered assistance, but at the moment the situation is being managed by local institutions.
"The situation has now stabilized because the rains have stopped. If the rains continue at a low intensity, I believe there will be no major problems," Latifi declared, announcing that a Municipal Emergency Headquarters has also been established.
Regarding the damage, Latifi said that it is still too early to talk about concrete figures. He emphasized that the most serious situation was reported in Forte, but there were also problems in Çifllak, Ratkoc, and Gexha.
Junik in state of emergency, start of second semester postponed
The municipality of Junik has declared a state of emergency due to flooding there.
This municipality has also formed an emergency headquarters.
The municipality has also announced that the start of the second semester of the 2025/2026 school year has been postponed until January 12.
"Due to difficult climatic conditions, heavy rainfall and flooding in the Municipality of Junik, the Municipality of Junik has declared a state of emergency and has formed an emergency headquarters. In this context, the start of the second semester of the 2025/2026 school year is postponed until 12.01.2026," the official website of this municipality states.
Missed school days will be compensated, according to the municipality.
Sveçla in Malisheva: Situation under control, residents evacuated
Photo: Driton Paçarada
Acting Interior Minister Xhelal Sveçla has gone to Malisheva, where he said that the situation is under control and that residents have been evacuated from the most endangered areas.
Malisheva is one of the municipalities most affected by flooding as a result of heavy rainfall since last night. Many roads have been blocked by rising river and stream levels. The municipality has appealed to citizens to be careful and avoid unnecessary movements as much as possible.
Sveçla, through a video published by Malisheva on his social network Facebook, said that institutions are engaged in all affected areas with the aim of managing the situation.
Peci says the situation in Mitrovica is under control and improving
The Mayor of South Mitrovica, Faton Peci, said that the situation in this municipality is under control and is improving after heavy rainfall that caused flooding.
Peci said that in the future, every project invested by the Municipality will be planned adequately.
"After the situation created by the rainfall, I was in the field to closely observe the current situation together with officials from the Directorate for Emergency Management. We as a municipality will be close to the citizens and with all the mechanisms available after assessing the situation from the field, we are taking all necessary measures for intervention. In the future, every project invested by the Municipality will be planned adequately to minimize such potential risks to the maximum. Citizens should be calm, the situation is under control and improving," Peci wrote on Facebook.
KEDS restores Drenas substation to function, several transformer stations still disconnected
The Kosovo Electricity Distribution Company (KEDS) has announced that the 220/10 kV substation in Drenas has returned to operation, after an intensive engagement of teams in the field.
According to KEDS, the substation had been disconnected for about four hours as a result of the damage caused by the floods. Currently, only four 10(20)/0.4 kV transformer stations continue to be out of operation in several locations, due to the large accumulation of water and safety risks, which have made immediate intervention impossible.
KEDS teams are still on the ground and are working with high intensity in all municipalities affected by the floods, with the aim of fully restoring electricity supply.
KEDS expressed special thanks to the Emergency Management Agency within the Ministry of Interior, the Mayor of Drenas, Ramiz Lladrovci, as well as the Police and firefighters of the municipality, for the cooperation and dedication shown during this period.
KEDS has also appealed to citizens to respect safety measures in flooded areas and to report any problems through emergency numbers or the company's official lines.
Rama says he has intervened in over 40 cases: The situation remains under control
The Mayor of Pristina, Përparim Rama, said that the capital's teams have intervened in over 40 cases as a result of heavy rainfall and that the situation remains under control.
Rama said that the situation is being constantly monitored and called for increased caution.
"In this situation of continuous rainfall throughout Kosovo, the Capital is managing the situation and the situation remains under control. The Capital's teams are constantly on the ground and have so far intervened in over 40 cases, while the situation is being monitored continuously. The Directorate for Security and Emergency is coordinating the management of the situation in cooperation with municipal teams and relevant services. We thank you for your cooperation and call on you for increased caution," Rama wrote on Facebook.
Road collapses in Polluzha, residents left without electricity and water
Photo: Kosovo Press
In the village of Polluzhe in Rahovec, a section of the road has collapsed and is impassable due to heavy flooding. In addition, the residents of this village have been left without electricity and water, after an electric pole fell and a water pipe was damaged.
A resident of this village, Jakup Morina, emphasizes that the damage from the road crack is considerable. According to him, teams from the Regional Water Company "Gjakova" have gone to the field to repair the water supply.
"The road has collapsed due to the rain, it has become impassable, we need to intervene quickly to repair it, there is no other way. Electricians have arrived, because the electricity pole has fallen into the river. The drinking water has also been cut off after the pipe was damaged. The KRU 'Gjakova' team and electricians have arrived at the scene," he stressed.
As a result of the floods, the situation in the village of Çiflak is also aggravated by the floods./ KosovaPress
The start of the second semester in Malisheva is postponed
Photo: Driton Paçarada
The Directorate of Education in the Municipality of Malisheva has announced that due to the situation created after heavy rainfall, a decision has been made to postpone the start of the second semester until January 12.
"Based on the forecasts of the Kosovo Meteorological Institute for worsening weather and also based on the situation on the ground in our municipality, which is worsening due to heavy rainfall and based on the floods, which have included almost every settlement in our municipality, we inform you that the beginning of the second half of the 2025/2026 school year is postponed until January 12, 2026," the announcement of the Directorate of Education in the Municipality of Malisheva states.
According to the announcement, the lost days will be compensated over the coming months.
Several families in Gjakova are being recalled
The Municipality of Gjakova has announced that as a result of heavy rainfall, rivers in the territory of the Municipality of Gjakova have caused flooding. As it is known, a Local Crisis Management Headquarters has already been formed to manage the situation, with the participation of all relevant institutions.
"In some neighborhoods, such as Dardania, Brekoci and Fshati i Gjelbërt, evacuations of affected families have been carried out. For families in need of shelter, the municipality is taking care of them by temporarily accommodating them in social housing." "Firefighters are on the ground all the time helping citizens, while the 'Çabrati' company is cleaning bridges and the most problematic areas. The situation is also being monitored by the Kosovo Police, which confirms that the situation is under control and fortunately there are no human casualties, but only material damage," the announcement says.
It is reported that all emergency teams are on standby.
"The next 24 hours are expected to be more sensitive, therefore we appeal to citizens: To be careful and avoid moving near rivers. "Be vigilant and notify emergency teams, the Police or Firefighters of any problems," the announcement states.
Alarming situation also in the villages of Rahovec (Photo)
Photo: Driton Paçarada
Severe flooding conditions have also occurred in several villages in the Municipality of Rahovec.
The images provided by KOHA from the village of Forte show the damage that residents have suffered, even in their homes.
And in a notice from the Municipality, residents of this village have been urged to cut off the electricity in their homes. "This measure is necessary so that, when electricity is restored to the entire village, there are no consequences for electrical equipment and internal installations," the Municipality's alert states.
A serious situation has also been reported in the village of Ratkoc.
The municipality of Rahovec has also established a municipal emergency headquarters, which must operate at all times and coordinate all interventions for managing the situation and the safety of citizens.
☎️ 029/278/666 - Firefighters Rahovec
☎️ 112 - Single Emergency Number
☎️ 193 - Fire and Rescue Unit
☎️ 192 - Kosovo Police
Photos by Driton Paçarada/KOHA:
Haradinaj on floods: National emergency, institutions should increase actions
Photo: Driton Paçarada
The leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, Ramush Haradinaj, has called on institutions to redouble their efforts to cope with the flooding situation.
On Tuesday, several municipalities are in a serious state of flooding as a result of Monday's rainfall, which continued today.
Haradinaj has called the worsening situation a national emergency.
"The situation created after the continuous rainfall, which has caused flooding in several areas of Kosovo, is extremely worrying. In some settlements, the evacuation of residents has also begun. I have contacted the mayors of municipalities from the Alliance, to be informed about the actions that the local government is taking to deal with this serious situation. It is a national emergency that the relevant institutions, both at the central and local levels, multiply their efforts and actions to deal with this situation," Haradinaj wrote on Facebook.
Severe situation in Drenas: Roads blocked, electricity cut off and several families evacuated
The Municipality of Drenas has announced that as a result of heavy rainfall and flooding along the Drenica River, water has penetrated several homes and businesses, while some road segments are impassable.
It is further reported that several families have been evacuated due to the risk of flooding, while electricity has been cut off.
"The road from Drenas to Komorani, at 'Trafoja' is blocked, the Feronikeli road towards Kronit i Mbretit is also blocked. The high water level is also visible in Komorani, old Çikatovo and in the neighborhoods of the municipality. The passage from the city of Drenas to the highway is through Shtrubullovo-Krajkovë-Llapushnik, and the other alternative, Drenas-Damanek-Krajkovë-Llapushnik," the announcement states.
The municipality has called on citizens, for safety reasons, not to leave their homes unnecessarily and to avoid movement in at-risk areas until the situation stabilizes.
"In this difficult situation, we thank the people with private vehicles who helped the teams on the ground deal with the situation. The competent teams are on the ground, making efforts to alleviate the situation and are monitoring the situation. Any additional information will be made public in due course," the announcement says.
In photos – The situation worsened by the floods in Malisheva
Photo: Driton Paçarada
Malisheva is one of the municipalities most affected by the recent floods. Many roads have been blocked by rising river and stream levels. The municipality has appealed to citizens to be careful and avoid unnecessary movements as much as possible.
The media officer for the Municipality of Malisheva, Artan Paçarizi, confirmed that the situation has worsened after the Mirusha River overflowed its bed. He said that the situation is, however, manageable.
Emergency teams have evacuated residents from their homes on six occasions.
"At this moment, the situation has begun to calm down a bit after the water level in the Mirusha River and the ravines that flow into the Mirusha River has dropped. But the situation has worsened as most of the roads are blocked by water, as a result of the Mirusha River overflowing its bed. We have also had water intrusion into several houses in the city, namely in Malisheva and in the villages of Bubavec, Lladroc and several other places. The situation is quite serious, but nevertheless manageable. Emergency teams have intervened in 6 cases to evacuate residents from their homes. Everyone has been settled in safe places," he said.
KOHË photojournalist Driton Paçarada presents the situation in this municipality through the photographs below:
KEDS cuts off electricity in three municipalities due to rainfall
The Kosovo Electricity Distribution Company has announced that it has interrupted the supply of electricity to Drenas, Malisheva and Rahovec.
According to the announcement published on Facebook by KEDS, it is announced that as a result of heavy rainfall and the danger created at the Drenas 220/10 kV substation, measures have been taken to interrupt the electricity supply in the Drenas area, for safety reasons.
Water, KEDS announced, has penetrated the substation, posing a serious risk to the safe operation of the electrical network.
"The relevant authorities, including the Police and Firefighters, have been notified and are in constant coordination. KEDS announces that the situation is also unstable in the Municipalities of Malisheva and Rahovec, due to flooding, where for safety reasons the electricity supply has been stopped until the situation stabilizes. KEDS teams are on the ground and are working intensively to manage the situation and restore supply as soon as safe conditions are created," the announcement says.
IKPSHK with three recommendations for health after the rains
Photo: Illustration
Following increased rainfall, the National Institute of Public Health of Kosovo has appealed to citizens to take increased care for safety and health.
The NIPHK has recommended that citizens who are supplied with water from unprotected wells boil the water before use or use alternative sources for safe water supply.
It is also recommended that food be stored in safe places and that food that has been in contact with rainwater should not be consumed.
The most vulnerable groups, including children, the elderly and people with chronic illnesses, are recommended to avoid unnecessary movement.