On Sunday August 6th, 2016 an extremely heavy storm hit the capital of Macedonia and its suburbs causing severe floods. The natural disaster left 22 people dead, at least 70 injured and approximately 1000 people were evacuated because of the life threatening and dangerous living circumstances. The 8th of August was declared national day of mourning.
A governmental committee was set up to oversee crisis management; authorities declared a state of emergency for the following 15 days and the country asked for help from the European Union. The Macedonian Red Cross delivered water, food packages, matrasses, blankets and clothes to the people in need. Donations were made to an account set up for this purpose not only by the residents but by local municipalities, companies, parties and the international community as well.
The Embassy of Hungary in Skopje contributed 1000 litres of drinking water promptly after the storm; and the Hungarian Government have provided further assistance as well: Responding to Macedonia’s request for help from the EU, the Hungarian National Directorate General for Disaster Management provided appliances and equipment that were needed for the resettlement and accommodation of the evacuated residents (check it out here), in total value of approx. 60 500 EUR. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary sent an aid package on 15th of August to the residents of Gazi Baba, a severely damaged district of Skopje. The aid package contained canned food and general disinfectant having a total value of 4800 EUR; and the Ministry also delivered the food donations of the Municipality of District XX of Budapest in value of 1 000 EUR.