These days mark ten years since the catastrophic floods that hit Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region in mid-May 2014.
The large floods followed the rainfall that exceeded the records of the last 120 years, since the measurements have been made.
Only in a period of 48 hours (May 13-14, 2014), about 150 l/m² fell in some areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The extratropical cyclone poured the amount of rain that is usual for more than three months on Serbia, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The rivers Bosna, Drina, Sana, Sava, Vrbas and others overflowed from their bed. Orašje, Domaljevac Šamac, Odžak, Brčko, Maglaj, Doboj, Derventa, Tuzla, Prijedor, Travnik, Janja, Bijeljina, Zenica, Živinice, Vareš, Zavidovići, Ključ, Banja Luka, Čelinac and many other places and settlements were flooded.
The area along the Sava River was at risk.
In just a few minutes, on May 15, the water flooded the wider area of Doboj.
On May 15, the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina declared a state of natural disaster, and on May 17, the Government of the RS declared a state of emergency in the entire territory of the RS.
Human sacrifices
At least 21 people died in the floods, and thousands were evacuated from their homes.
The most human victims were in Doboj, where several corpses were found, and some were thought to have been brought by the river Bosna from the surrounding towns. There were also victims in Maglaj, Bosanski Šamac, Bijeljina, Bratunac, Srbac, Žepč, Modriča, Sanski Most…
Material damages
Numerous landslides were activated and residential buildings were demolished. Numerous communications were interrupted, some bridges were destroyed. Some places could only be reached by boat or helicopter. Individuals tried to abuse the difficult humanitarian situation by increasing the prices of food and water.
The mine clearance center warned that due to floods and landslides, certain minefields that had already been marked were moved. The areas of Doboj, Maglaj, Posavina and Una-Sana County were threatened.
The floods caused a total damage of slightly more than two billion euros, announced the delegation of the European Union in Sarajevo, conveying a summary of the final report on the consequences of the floods, which was compiled by domestic and international experts.
It is a precise estimate that the damages reached the amount of 3.98 billion convertible marks, i.e. 2.04 billion euros.
The report is based on assessments of different levels of government in Bosnia and Herzegovina conducted with the support of the EU, the United Nations and the World Bank.
The analysis showed that the private sector, small, medium and large family businesses, agricultural producers, and a large number of citizens were most affected by the floods that hit Bosnia and Herzegovina from May 14 to 19.
Source: zenit.ba
