Serbia – Emergency Declared after Floods Force Hundreds to Evacuate

The Serbian Interior Ministry declared an emergency situation on Monday 7 March 2016, after floods hit the municipalities of Čačak, Lucani and Arilje in central and eastern Serbia.

Areas of the country recorded heavy rainfall that began late on Sunday. The Cemernica river broke its banks early on 07 March and flooded around 500 houses in the villages of Konjevici and Preljina. The Serbian government said that 420 people were evacuated.

Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic visited Preljina in Čačak, one of the worst hit areas, earlier today.

The heavy rain also caused a landslide in the Bajina Basta municipality, damaging homes and roads in the area.

Local and national government authorities will start making assessments of the damage and sending aid tomorrow.

Floods in Preljina, Čačak, Serbia, 07 March 2016. Photo: Office of the Prime Minister, Serbia

Rainfall

In a 24 hour period between 06 to 07 March, 2016

Kopaonik – 55 mm
Sjenica – 54.1 mm
Zlatibor – 80.3 mm

Parts of Montenegro and Croatia also saw heavy rain. Podgorica-Grad in Montenegro recorded 115.1 mm in the 24 hours and Niksic 89 mm. Dubrovnik in Croatia recorded 53.0 mm in 24 hours. Authorities in Croatia reported earlier today a level 3 alert (4 being the highest) on the Sava and Ilova rivers and Retencija Lonjsko Polje, and level 2 alerts on some tributaries of the Sava.