21.05.2014.

Preventing infections is priority

Defence Minister Bratislav Gasic has brought today humanitarian aid to the affected population of the village of Stubline near Obrenovac and Morovic near Sid and appealed to private and public companies dealing with rodent control, disinfection and disinsection to help with sanitation, which is now the primary task.

After the talks with representatives of the local emergency response teams, Gasic told reporters that the situation in Stubline and Morovic is currently satisfactory.

"Restoration has already started and complete unit of CBRN Centre set off from Krusevac to Obrenovac. We called and we appeal to all private and public companies dealing with rodent control, disinfection and disinsection to go to Obrenovac and contact the Crisis Response Team, to be engaged, so that we can restore the consequences of flooding as soon as possible", Gasic said.

He warned that the silt and sediment mixed with sewers and septic tanks that spilled over, as well as the remains of many dead animals are as dangerous for the citizens as the recent flood wave.

The Minister also announced the setting up of barriers to exit from Obrenovac so that all vehicles and pedestrians could be disinfected.

"We talked to the villagers how important it is to create obstacles now for the potential arrival of any infections that may appear after such elementary disasters, after so many septic tanks, sewage and other things, like dead animals that were left under water. This is what we have to do today as priority", Gasic said.

He said that Lieutenant General Aleksandar Zivkovic, Army Commander of the Serbian Armed Forces and Deputy Commander of the Emergency Response Team in Obrenovac, with members of that team will agree about further operations considering the fact that, as he said, the land road to Obrenovac is being opened today.

Gasic commended numerous individuals and companies that collected aid for assistance to flood-affected people in recent days.

"At our centres in Batajnica and Nis, many good people are coming and they can see how big the impact of this natural disaster is and they are trying to maximally help, selflessly sending the aid", he said.

Zivota Jovanovic, Vice President of the local community of Stubline and a member of the Crisis Response Team, gave his statement to Tanjug that the situation in the village is satisfactory "as the deadly wave has passed".

According to him the village of Stubline received hundreds of refugees from the surrounding villages of Piromane, Veliko Polje, Zvecka, and from Obrenovac and provided them accommodation, food and water. "We are still receiving help but sometimes it disappears. Now they need medicaments, food and water. This is necessary because we do not have healthy drinking water," Jovanovic said.