Bosnia Hit by Devastating Floods and Landslides, Death Toll at 26
A series of devastating floods and landslides in Bosnia have left 26 people dead and rescue teams are still searching for missing individuals in the aftermath of the storm that ended 10 days ago. The torrential rains and strong winds hit four municipalities in the country’s central and southern parts on 4 October, causing widespread destruction to houses, roads, and power infrastructure in several villages.
One village, Jablanica, was particularly hard hit, with 19 people killed and one person still missing. A collective funeral for the victims is scheduled for Tuesday. Local residents describe being awoken in the middle of the night by a thundering rumble as flood waters swept away their property. Over a thousand people from nearby towns and cities came to the village to search for survivors and assist in clearing away debris.
The flooding has also impacted the famous Neretva River, clogging it with waste leftover from the floods. Scientists believe that the extreme temperatures experienced in Bosnia over the summer, which caused drought conditions and hampered the absorption of floodwaters, have contributed to the severity of the damage caused by the recent flooding.
This disaster comes after a summer of record temperatures and heatwaves in Bosnia, which caused blackouts and threatened the country’s agricultural industry. The government and rescue teams are continuing their efforts to search for missing persons and assess the extent of the damage caused by the recent storms.
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