Albania seeks UN assistance after deadly blasts at ammunition depot

Albania has asked for a United Nations disaster assessment and coordination (UNDAC) team to be dispatched to help its authorities determine how to deal with the aftermath of Saturday’s series of deadly explosions at a military ammunition depot.

At least 18 people were killed and over 390 others were injured, including 40 seriously, because of the blast, which began about 12:30 in the afternoon during an ongoing programme at the Gerdec depot to destroy old military ordnance. More than 300 homes were destroyed and over 2000 other buildings were damaged as the explosions continued through the night.

Some 4,000 people have since been evacuated from the area around the village of Vore, which is close to the depot, and offered emergency shelter, according to the latest update from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The situation is complicated by the thousands of artillery shells, mortar shells, grenades and small arms ammunition that now litter the area for up to five kilometres around the depot. As much as 130,000 tons of ageing ammunition in need of destruction also exists at other dumps and depots around Albania.

Gülden Türköz-Cosslett, the UN Resident Coordinator in Albania and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative, has pledged the world body’s assistance to the Government where feasible.