Floods cause damage in several cities/Schools suspended in Kosovo

2026-01-07 13:37:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The resumption of classes after the winter break has been postponed across the country due to heavy rains that have caused damage in several cities in Kosovo, authorities announced. Acting Minister of Education, Arbërie Nagavci, announced on Tuesday around midnight that classes scheduled to resume today have been postponed to Monday, January 12.

Heavy rainfall in recent days triggered flooding, causing damage to property and infrastructure, evacuations, and traffic difficulties.

"The Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation is in constant communication with all Municipal Education Directorates and, based on information received from the field, it has been determined that the start of the teaching process scheduled for Thursday is impossible," Nagavci wrote on Facebook.

She announced that the hours missed on Thursday and Friday will be replaced during the second half of the 2025/2026 school year for all levels of pre-university education.

The consequences of floods

Fushë Kosova, Malisheva, Rahovec, Klina, Mitrovica, Vushtrri, Skenderaj and Gjakova are the municipalities most affected by the floods, according to the Emergency Management Agency (EMA).

In addition to property damage, there were also evacuations of residents from their homes in these parts of the country.

The EMA said on Tuesday that the flooding situation "appears manageable, with localized cases in several municipalities."

"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," the announcement said.

The Hydrometeorological Institute of Kosovo (IHMK) announced earlier on January 6 that rainfall in recent days has caused flooding in several cities, mainly in the western part of the country.

The IHMK stressed that continuous rainfall over several days in places such as Gjakova, Junik, Deçan, Malisheva, Rahovec and Klina has caused rivers and streams to overflow their beds.

According to this institute, the country's main rivers - such as Ibri, Sitnica, Lepenci, Morava and Binçës - have "slight" increases in water levels. Kosovo's President, Vjosa Osmani, thanked the institutions for responding to the floods to protect "life and property".

"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. Osmani said that the Kosovo Security Force is ready to provide support "if the need arises."

Flooding on several roads caused the Electricity Distribution Company (KEDS) to cut off power in Drenas, Malisheva and Rahovec. In Drenas, KEDS said that "water has penetrated the substation, posing a serious risk to the safe operation of the electricity network."

Later, authorities announced that electricity supply was restored after creating safe conditions for KEDS to intervene. In addition to the power outages, citizens also faced water outages.

The Regional Water Supply Company "Mitrovica" said during the day that it has temporarily interrupted water supply due to "high levels of turbidity in the Iber-Lepenc canal."

"This measure is being taken to guarantee the safety and quality of drinking water, in accordance with the technical and health standards in force," the announcement of the "Mitrovica" RWC states. Similarly, the "Prishtina" RWC also announced reductions in water supply for Fushë Kosovë, Drenas, Obiliq and part of the Kalabria neighborhood in Pristina.

In Kosovo's capital, Pristina, the municipality appealed for caution, adding that due to the flooding, there could be problems with road traffic, sewage and landslides. On social networks, residents, municipal officials and local media from various cities have published photos and videos showing the floods.

The Mayor of Skenderaj, Sami Lushtaku, has published several photos from his visits to flooded neighborhoods and said that emergency teams have been engaged in the field since midnight.

"Last night's rains, which are continuing today, have brought flooding to several areas of the Municipality of Skenderaj, causing difficulties for a number of families," Lushtaku wrote on Facebook. He then said that the situation is currently "under control." In Malisheva, the emergency management headquarters has appealed to citizens to avoid "unnecessary movements" due to the flooding.

"Many roads have been blocked by water as a result of the rising level of rivers and streams, making traffic difficult. Therefore, we ask citizens not to move unnecessarily and, in cases where movement is necessary, to use alternative routes," the announcement of the Municipality of Malisheva states.

Similar announcements have been made by several other municipalities, such as Gjakova and Klina. Acting Minister of Internal Affairs, Xhelal Sveçla, said that the situation in Malisheva is "under control" and that residents from endangered areas have been evacuated.

In this municipality, due to the current situation, the education directorate announced that it has decided to postpone the second semester until January 12. The municipality of Junik has created an emergency headquarters after the declaration of a state of emergency. This municipality, like Malisheva, has also postponed the start of the second semester until January 12.

"We ask citizens to be extra careful and follow official announcements," the municipality said in a statement posted on Facebook. Meanwhile, the National Institute of Public Health (IKSHPK) said that there is currently no data on water pollution.

However, the NIPHK recommended that citizens who are supplied with water from unprotected wells boil the water before using it, and that food that has come into contact with rainwater should not be consumed.

Kosovo has faced floods in recent years, which have caused mainly material damage. It is estimated that damage to river beds, as a result of illegal gravel extraction, contributes greatly to the flooding of areas./ Rel