15.05.2014.

Minister Gasic visit flood-stricken areas

During the evening and night, Defence Minister Bratislav Gasic visited the most affected locations in Sabac and Loznica, where members of the First Pontoneer Battalion of the Riverine Flotilla are helping citizens in fighting the flood.

In Sabac and Koceljeva, 40 members of the Serbian Armed Forces are engaged in assisting citizens in placing sandbags so that water does not penetrate into households and other buildings. Minister Gasic met with the officers and soldiers and members of fire and rescue teams that are working on preventing the penetration of water into the households. In Sabac, due to sewage spills caused by heavy rainfall, about 100 households are affected, and the most critical situation is in the King Milutin Street.

After Sabac, Minister Gasic headed to Loznica, where he first visited the substation threatened by the swollen river Stira.

- If water penetrates into the substation, the entire Loznica will remain without electric power. A large number of people from the Emergency Planning Sector are engaged here, and a hundred members of the First Pontoneer Battalion are soon to join them with boats for evacuation – Minister Gasic said after the meeting of the Emergency Response Team, where Mayor of Loznica Vidoje Pantelic briefed him about the situation in the city and the surrounding villages.

Water flows threaten to hundreds of households, and Jadar river has never been as swollen as it is now, so that due to the gravity of the situation Minister Gasic decided to spend the night in Loznica, with soldiers, members of the Emergency Planning Sector and the citizens, in fighting the flood.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Sinisa Marinkovic, who accompanies Defence Minister in his visits to the affected areas at night, the action involved all members of the First Pontoneer Battalion, and the focus of the engagement is in the territory of Loznica where the situation is the most critical.

Situation is also difficult in Osecina and Valjevo, where the members of the Second Army Brigade and the Second Training Centre are engaged.

Due to floods caused by heavy rain and overflowing of many rivers in Morava, Kolubara and Macva districts, emergency situation was declared in Valjevo and municipalities of Lucani, Mionica, Ljig, Ub, Lajkovac, Loznica, Osecina, Koceljeva, Mali Zvornik, Gornji Milanovac, Pozega, Kosjeric, Zajecar and Vladimirci.

The actions for protection and rescue of endangered persons and their property from flooding involved members of the Serbian Armed Forces, Gendarmerie and all the capacities of the Emergency Planning Sector of the Ministry of the Interior, and water rescue teams.

Due to the large amount of water, there is a danger of landslides and due to landfall the traffic was suspended on several roads and on Belgrade - Bar railway. In a number of cities, including Belgrade, pupils of primary and secondary schools will not go to school on Thursday and Friday.

According to the weather forecasts, rain continues to fall and all measures are taken to protect people and property in the affected areas.