Catastrophic floods and their risk in the rivers of Albania

Albania, with a surface area of 28 748 km 2 , is situated within a multinational basin having a surface area of 43 350 km 2 . The country's mean annual precipitation is 1485 mm and the maximum 24-h precipitation varies from 200 mm in the south to 400 mm in the north. Foods are observed primarily from November to March when specific discharge from the main rivers ranges from 1 to 2.5 m 3 s -1 km -2 . These floods cause extensive damage in Albania's coastal zone. In this paper, we describe the main characteristics of floods in Albanian rivers including information on the highest floods observed during the last 150 years. In addition, a brief overview of flood regions in Albania, based on specific discharge is given, which forms an index of flood risk. The case is made for the establishment of a flood forecasting service in Albania.