Albania hit by some of the worst floods it has ever seen

Recent floods in Albania has claimed life of a woman. The 38-year-old woman was swept away when the Verdova River on Albania's eastern border with Macedonia.

"Albania is hit by some of the worst floods it has ever seen, compounded by tree clearances and soil erosion," Reuters has written.

At least four rivers have overflowed and the largest bridge in the Balkans has been destroyed due to extreme flooding in southern Albania and Greece.

The floods were caused by heavy rain and snow that has fallen steadily over the region in the last few days. Governmant said that the anthropogenic factors contributed to the severity of the problem.

Sheep stay on a road not reached by Vjosa river water that flooded their village of Darzeze,
Fier district, 115 kilometers  south of capital Tirana, Monday, Feb. 2, 2015 (AP Photo/Hektor Pustina)

"Deforestation and soil erosion has exacerbated flooding in Albania that has forced the evacuation of hundreds of families," The Guardian has written quoting prime minister Edi Rama.

Heavy rain has left hundreds of homes under water around the central Macedonian town of Bitola. "The situation around Bitola is still unpredictable as the rains are not stopping," Macedonia's Center for Crisis Management said in a statement.

Snowstorms have closed the border crossing between northwestern Bosnia and Croatia and Bosnian authorities have shut down schools until Feb. 13.

Flooding in Albania in November last year had claimed lives of three people and kept army on standby to help emergency service workers with evacuation efforts.