Flood in Macedonia has killed 20 so far

At least 20 people have died in floods that hit the Macedonian capital, Skopje, following torrential rain.

The victims’ bodies were found on Sunday morning after the storm passed. Several people are still missing.

Some of the victims drowned in their cars. Parts of the city’s ring road were swept away in the floods, dragging cars into nearby fields.

Three-and-a-half inches (93mm) of rain fell in Skopje in the storm – more than the average for the whole of August.

The water level reached as high as five feet (1.5 metres) in some of the affected areas, reports said.

“Everything was a mess. Televisions, the fridge, the sofa, everything was floating… it was a nightmare,” said Baze Spriovski, a 43-year-old from Singelic in the outskirts of Skopje.

Many homes remain flooded and without electricity; some are reported to have collapsed.

The authorities have declared a crisis situation in Skopje and Tetovo for the next 15 days, the Macedonian Information Agency said.