Weather tracker: Kosovo floods trap people in homes and cut water supplies

Intense rainfall in Kosovo this week caused widespread flooding, trapping residents and disrupting essential services. Cities, towns, and villages were inundated after rivers overflowed, isolating communities. The Drenas, Malisheva, and Rahovec municipalities experienced water and electricity outages due to flooded electrical substations. Some areas recorded over 50mm of rain within 24 hours on Tuesday and Wednesday, following heavy rainfall from Saturday to Monday. Meanwhile, Storm Goretti brought severe winds to Cornwall and the Scilly Isles in the UK on Thursday, with even stronger gusts hitting north-western France. Coastal flood warnings were issued in France, and the storm is expected to move into mainland Europe, potentially bringing blizzard conditions to Germany and the Benelux region.

Extreme flooding struck Kosovo, submerging cities and villages and prompting emergency evacuations. On January 7, 2026, emergency crews continued rescue operations for a second day as floodwaters impacted several municipalities across the region. Footage showed residents being evacuated from their flooded homes. The floods have caused widespread devastation throughout Kosovo, requiring significant emergency response efforts. The extent of the damage is still being assessed as rescue operations continue.