flood catastrophe hits the Balkan region
A worst flooding in a century in Bosnia and Serbia has displaced tens of thousands residents and killed at least 37 people.
According to media reports, three months’ worth of rain has tormented the region in three days, resulting to heavy floodings and surge of river water.
The rain caused hundreds of landslides in Bosnia, burying dozens of houses and cars. The heavy rains led to rapid rise of water level and eventually surged into homes, sending people climbing to rooftops for rescue.
The residents left their homes and fled to Croatia.
In addition, in Serbia, more than 15,000 residents have been evacuated and found temporary shelter in schools and sports halls.
The town of Obrenovac, southwest of the Serbian capital Belgrade, is under water. In addition, the Obrenovac town which is located at a bend in the River Sava, has been the worst hit by days of heavy rainfall.
International help poured into the two nations
With the horrible catastrophe that affected the two nations, the international community did not fail to response to the needs of the flood victims.
Rescue teams from the neighboring nations particulalry Russia, Luxembourge, Croatia and Slovenia, UK, Austrai joined the rescue efforts in Serbia and Bosnia.
Social media particularly Facebook is utilized by the residents in both countries to call for aid to response to the needs of the flood victims.
In addition, the United States of America also pledged to help the crisis-hit nations.
In a press statement in Washington DC, US Department Spokesperson Jeb Psaki announced that US embassies in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia set in motion processes that will provide additional funds and resources to help deal with the disaster.
She announced that USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance has deployed humanitarian experts to Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina to assist with response efforts.
For rescue operations, the USAID is providing search and rescue boats to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Department of Defense is providing supplies to people affected by the flooding, including: cots, blankets, water and fuel cans, portable kitchen sets, space heaters, generators, and water pumps.
