Storm warning in effect off the coast; Parts of Buje flooded by storm

A major weather shift has hit Croatia, flooding parts of Buje this morning. The north and central coast are under a red warning for thunderstorms, with extreme winds and heavy rain that could trigger flash flooding. 

The warning covers the Rijeka, Knin, and Split regions. The storm swept through northwestern Istria earlier today.

The hardest hit was Buje, where 175 liters of rain per square meter fell in just three hours, flooding parts of the town. The city’s sports zone suffered the most damage.

"The storm caused the most damage to our sports facilities. We called our insurance brokers immediately and are working on a damages claim," said Mayor Fabrizio Vižintin.

A large construction company yard also had to be pumped out after being submerged.

"We are pumping water from a large open-air construction warehouse that was flooded by the heavy rain. We are also handling around a dozen other emergency calls—from warehouses, commercial spaces, and cellars. Some 20 firefighters from Umag, Buje, and Oprtalj are on site," said Josip Klarić from the Umag Fire Department.

The Buje region, known for its vineyards, also saw flooding, though experts say the upcoming harvest should not be severely affected.

"The rain started overnight but intensified in the morning, continuing until around 10–10:30 a.m. The soil absorbed some of the water at first, but within about 20 minutes, it rose rapidly to around 30 cm," said local landowner Josip Vorić.