15 INJURED IN SKOPJE, ALL HOSPITALIZED

SKOPLJE, JULY 22 /SRNA/ - Fifteen people were injured in the severe weather that swept through Skopje, all were taken to hospital, with two women sustaining more serious injuries.

Nine of the injured were admitted to the University Clinic for Traumatology, Orthopaedic Diseases, Anaesthesiology, Resuscitation, Intensive Care and the Emergency Centre.

Two women sustained more serious injuries. One, who suffered a head injury, was admitted to the Neurosurgery Clinic, while the other sustained a fractured arm, Clinic Director Igor Merdžanoski said, according to Macedonian media.

The emergency medical service reported that a woman sustained a head injury after being struck by a falling tree.

Six of the injured were treated at the University Clinic for Surgery "St. Naum of Ohrid."

The severe weather caused extensive damage to buildings and vehicles, and the aftermath is still being dealt with.

The Ministry of the Interior said that, as of 10:00 p.m., authorities had recorded 117 damaged vehicles, 35 damaged roofs, 189 fallen trees, seven damaged traffic lights, five fires and 10 injured people.

Strong winds tore off parts of roofs, snapped branches and uprooted trees. Among the damaged buildings were the "8 September" City Hospital and an elementary school.

The severe weather also caused problems in Štip, particularly at the Clinical Hospital complex. Part of the roof structure, above the Orthopaedics and Intensive Care departments, was damaged, forcing some patients to be transferred to other wards.

Deputy Director of the hospital Biljana Eftimova said that 15 to 20 patients from the Orthopaedics Department have been affected.

She added that the orthopaedic operating theatre had also been damaged, but that the hospital has other operating theatres and medical services would not be disrupted.

Štip Mayor Ivan Jordanov said that private buildings and other institutions had also sustained material damage.