Mobile UPI  |   About UPI  |   UPI en Español  |   UPI Arabic  |   UPIU  |   My Account
Search:
Go

Albania seeks U.N. help after blast

|
|
 
  
Published: March. 19, 2008 at 8:43 PM

NEW YORK, March 19 (UPI) -- The United Nations said Wednesday Albania has asked for help in dealing with the aftermath of explosions that leveled a military ammunition depot.

Albania requested that a U.N. disaster assessment and coordination team be dispatched to help authorities determine how to proceed, the United Nations said in a news release.

At least 18 people died and more than 390 others were injured -- 40 seriously -- when a series of massive blasts occurred Saturday at the Gerdec depot where crews were destroying old military ordnance.

More than 300 homes were reported to have been destroyed and more than 2,000 other buildings were damaged. About 4,000 people have been offered emergency shelter after being evacuated from vicinity of the village of Vore, located close to the depot.

The United Nations said the situation is complicated by thousands of artillery shells, mortar shells, grenades and small arms ammunition that litter the area for up to three miles around the blast site. Up to 130,000 tons of old ammunition is still awaiting demolition at other sites in Albania, the United Nations said.

Recommended Stories
© 2008 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

Order reprints
  
Join the conversation
Most Popular Collections
The Tibetan Moniam Festival in China Super Bowl XLVI ticker tape victory parade The making of the Oscars
The Chicago Auto Show The Most Desirable Women of 2012 Tu Bishvat Migron settlement
Additional Top News Stories
1 of 25
Meryl Streep and Colin Firth attend the "BAFTA" ceremony in London
View Caption
fark
Expect the Hoverboard to be in stores around October 21, 2015
If you say "I do not favor women wearing provocative clothes and always feel they need to be dignified...
Planning a stunt marriage proposal today? Well, the wife of Slashdot's founder, who received one...
You're a K-9 cop out on a call and have to send your dog to take down a robber who is in the country...
Why will Whitney Houston's toxicology reports take weeks? Coroner's office: Because this ain't CSI...
Eight surefire ways to get dumped on Valentine's Day