Strong winds, showers, and hail caused heavy damage in several areas in Serbia on Friday evening, with the western municipality of Arilje declaring an emergency situation, the Interior Ministry department for emergencies has announced.

A heavy storm hit Serbia at around 7 p.m. on Friday, covering an area from the west to the southeast of the country. Large amounts of rain caused flooding in many basements in Arilje, which brought out the town's firefighting and rescue units.

The local authorities declared an emergency situation in the entire municipality. The storm also hit the municipalities of Cacak, Cajetina and Lucane, where heavy rains and hail damaged roofs and flooded roads and basements.

The strong winds in Krusevac, southeastern Serbia, brought down high-voltage transmission lines in the area. Head of the Interior Ministry department for emergencies Predrag Maric told Tanjug Saturday that the damage caused by the storm was great and that it was still being assessed.

The anti-hail defence was active in the entire area hit by the storm, but nature overpowered it, he added. Arilje was hit the worst. Two thirds of its raspberry fields, which are the cornerstone of the local economy, were destroyed.

Nis was also hit by hail, even with active anti-hail defences, Maric stated.