VIDEO Unprecedented storm hit Macedonia: At least 20 dead, grief and devastation in Skopje and surrounding areas

At least twenty people have died in the storm and floods that hit Macedonia last night, primarily Skopje and its surroundings, it was announced after the meeting of the Crisis Committee, reports the Patria News Agency.

Of the 20 deceased, 13 have been identified and handed over to their families, it was announced today after the meeting of the Crisis Committee, reports the Macedonian Information Agency.

The storm, accompanied by a strong gale and rain, caused floods in the capital of Macedonia, and the hardest-hit areas were the northeastern suburban settlements of Stajkovci, Smiljkovci, Aračinovo, and Čento.

In the Skopje area, 93 liters of rain per square meter fell during the night, and more than 800 lightning strikes were registered in the first two hours of the storm.

A large part of the capital of Macedonia was flooded, water entered the basements of residential buildings, flooded the Clinical Center, uprooted trees, and many citizens were trapped in vehicles in underpasses and at intersections in the lower parts of the city.

The President of Macedonia and the Supreme Commander of the country's armed forces, Gjorge Ivanov, visited the flooded areas in Skopje and surrounding villages today.

The Macedonian president expressed his condolences and regret for the victims of the storm, as well as for the injured. He was informed that 400 members of the army and 300 police officers have been deployed on the ground to assist the local population. The rain stopped falling during the day, but according to forecasts, it is expected again tonight.