Strong wind in Bitola injures two girls, sparks fire and topples trees
Two girls injured by broken shop window glass and a fire in Lavci after a morning of powerful gusts; crews cleared fallen trees across Bitola.
Strong winds that struck Bitola this morning caused injuries, structural damage and at least one fire across the city. Two girls were hurt by broken glass from the display window of a public institution in the city centre, and emergency crews also responded to a blaze in the Lavci neighbourhood, officials said.
Crews at several sites as authorities report wind gusts up to 86 km/h
Hristijan Todorovski, commander of the Territorial Firefighting Unit in Bitola, said his team intervened at the fire in Lavci. Firefighters and other emergency services were dispatched to multiple locations after reports of fallen trees and property damage.
Workers from Public Enterprise Komunalec (Bitola) confirmed there were numerous uprooted or broken trees across the city and its surroundings. In the Nova Bitola area a broken tree caused material damage to a parked car; the site was secured by traffic police to protect public safety.
The Hydrometeorological Administration recorded the strongest gusts at the Topolchani measuring station this morning, with peak winds reaching 86 kilometres per hour. In Bitola, gusts of 54 kilometres per hour were registered at 13:00.
Authorities urged caution while crews clear streets and attend to damaged property; services remained on site to remove hazards and secure affected areas.
Photo: press material from the event
