‘Terrifying’ Floods Affect 1,000,000 Bosnians

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
EXTREME RAIN EVENTS
HISTORIC FLOODING
DEADLY LANDSLIDES
MEGA DISASTER
MASS EVACUATIONS
SCENARIOS 444, 023, 09, 070
STATES OF EMERGENCY 
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Deadly floods affect one million, displace 500,000, destroy or damage at least 100,000 homes in Bosnia

The worst floods ever to hit the Balkans have affected more than a million Bosnians, killing dozens of people, forcing more than half million out of their homes,  and destroying or damaging at least 100,000 homes.

Extreme rain events triggered deadly flooding and thousands of landslides, affecting about a third of the country, leaving more than a million people (quarter of the Bosnia’s population) without clean water.

The government has compared the “terrifying” destruction to the   1992-95 war, in which ethnic cleansing forced more than a million people out of their homes.

“We have some indications that a half a million Bosnians have either been evacuated or have left their homes because of flooding or landslides,” said a senior civil defense official in Bosnia.

Official Stats

• Deadly flooding and landslides have affected large swaths of the Balkans, including about 40% of Bosnia

• More than one million people have been affected in Bosnia, with no access to clean water.

• At least  500,00 people have been evacuated or abandoned their homes.

• Severe flooding and thousands of landslides have devastated vast regions in both Bosnia and Serbia, killing dozens of people, destroying more than  100,000 homes, as well as other buildings, schools, businesses and much of the public infrastructure.

• States of disaster have been declared for dozens of communities across Croatia as floodwaters submerge vast swaths of the country.

• At least 30,000 Serbians have been evacuated.

• Floodwaters threaten additional towns and key power plants in Bosnia and Serbia.

• Several towns in Serbia, including Krupanj in the Mačva District (population; 5,000) have been almost completely destroyed.

• Thousands, possibly tens of thousands, of livestock have perished across the flood-stricken regions.

“The consequences of the floods are terrifying. The physical destruction is not less than the destruction caused by the war. During the war, many people lost everything. Today, again they have nothing,” said Bosnia’s Foreign Minister.

Landmines

Meanwhile, Bosnia’s Center for the Removal of Landmines has renewed its warning concerning mines laid during the 1992-95. They fear that an estimated 750,000 mines could be dislodged by floods and landslides.

Related Links, Latest Historic Floods

• Mass Evacuations as Floods Submerge Towns in Croatia May 19, 2014
• Balkan Historic Flood Disaster Update  May 17, 2014
• Historic Flooding Turns Deadly in Serbia, Bosnia  May 15, 2014
• ‘Historic’ Flooding Submerges Pensacola, FL  April 30, 2014

Mass Evacuations as Floods Submerge Towns in Croatia

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
EXTREME RAIN EVENTS
DEADLY HAZARDS
HISTORIC FLOODING
MASS EVACUATIONS
SCENARIO 023
STATES OF EMERGENCY 
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UPDATED at 13:00UTC

Flooding, landslides in Balkans kill dozens, destroy or damage thousands of homes, displace hundreds of thousands

• More than 500,00 people have been evacuated or abandoned their homes in Bosnia: Officials

• Thousands of landslides have devastated vast areas in both Bosnia and Serbia, destroying score of homes and killing dozens of people.

• States of disaster have been declared for dozens of communities across Croatia as floodwaters submerge vast swaths of the country.

• At least 30,000 Serbians have been evacuated.

• Floodwaters threaten additional towns and key power plants in Bosnia and Serbia.

• Thousands, possibly tens of thousands of livestock have perished in the flood-stricken regions.

River Sava topped previous record heights, bursting its banks in numerous places,  flooding several cities, dozens of towns and communities throughout central Croatia, and  forcing thousands of people to flee their homes.

At least three people were reported dead or missing during mass evacuations, according to reports.

Serbia is facing its biggest natural disaster: Serbian PM

“The situation is catastrophic,” he said.

“While passing through Zabrezje, houses were just peeking from water… In some parts of the city there was total silence sometimes interrupted by barking of dogs looming on roofs,” Blic reported.

According to one rescuer in Obrenovac, bodies are floating in the water and the rescuers have trouble evacuating all the people who are still trapped in the city.

“The situation in Obrenovac remained very critical and rescuers had started uncovering dead bodies. I will not reveal the number until the water goes down,” Predrag Maric, head of police emergency sector said on Saturday. Floods are threatening to leave one third of Serbia without electricity. Forecasters expect the Sava River to rise in the coming days due to the rainfall upstream in Bosnia and Croatia.

Thousands of  Landslides

In Bosnia, the floodwaters were described as a 4 to 5 meter tsunami wave, destroying everything in its path.

Extreme rain events and flooding have triggered thousands of landslides, devastating homes, businesses, schools and infrastructure across vast areas.

Related Links, Latest Historic Floods

• Balkan Historic Flood Disaster Update May 17, 2014
• Historic Flooding Turns Deadly in Serbia, Bosnia  May 15, 2014
• ‘Historic’ Flooding Submerges Pensacola, FL  April 30, 2014