Devastating floods have claimed the lives of at least 16 individuals in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with many more reported missing. The relentless torrential rains and landslides wreaked havoc, demolishing homes, obliterating roads, and damaging bridges throughout the heart of the country, according to officials.
The town of Jablanica, located roughly 70 kilometers southwest of Sarajevo, where the unfortunate fatalities occurred, has become entirely isolated after both road and rail connections were severed. The extent of the destruction has left the community in a precarious situation.
“Sixteen people have tragically died, predominantly in the Jablanica region,” reported Ljudevit Maric, a spokesperson from the cantonal interior ministry, while speaking to Reuters. “We are diligently continuing the search for those unaccounted for,” he added, underscoring the ongoing efforts of the rescue teams.
The Irish government expressed its sorrow in light of these tragic events. “Ireland is deeply saddened to hear about the fatalities following the catastrophic floods in Bosnia-Herzegovina. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and keep all those impacted in our thoughts,” tweeted the Irish Foreign Ministry.
Images emerging from the crisis reflect the magnitude of the disasters, with homes turned to mere rubble by landslides. This calamity marks what seems to be Bosnia’s most severe flooding since at least 2014—a year when the region also faced significant losses, with over 20 lives claimed by earlier floods.
“There are numerous individuals still unaccounted for,” lamented Darko Jukan, a spokesperson for the regional government, painting a grim picture. “In many instances, only fragments of rooftops remain visible. It’s been ages since we’ve witnessed a disaster of this enormity, especially when recalling the period of the (1992-1995) war,” he recollected.
During a swift emergency meeting, the central government of Bosnia announced its intention to earmark funds to assist in the recovery of the ravaged areas. Meanwhile, the government of the Bosniak-Croat Federation declared a state of natural disaster for the afflicted regions and established a crisis committee aimed at addressing the dire circumstances.
In a display of regional solidarity, neighboring countries—Croatia and Serbia—have also extended their aid to Bosnia, offering assistance in ongoing rescue operations. Aldin Brasnjic, overseeing the Civil Defence administration in the Bosniak-Croat federation, shared the grim reality that rescuers are hindered from reaching several isolated villages due to obstructed roads. “The anticipated rains will merely exacerbate the challenges of our efforts,” he cautioned. “Right now, locating the missing is our foremost priority, and we are optimistic about concluding this search today and tomorrow,” he stated.
The gravity of the situation was further illustrated by Robert Oroz, who shared harrowing video footage of his village, Luke, near Fojnica, awash with debris—tree trunks, logs, and detritus strewn about in disarray. “At one point, the waters had receded, but ominously, they began to rise again,” he reported with evident distress. “This is a disastrous scenario… A traditional smokehouse for meat, once a beloved community fixture, has been lost,” he lamented.
Likewise, the town of Kiseljak has found itself submerged, a river having overflowed its banks. Footage captured by drones revealed brown waters lapping perilously at the doorsteps of local businesses and residences. Fortunately, the waters began to ebb by that afternoon, although the recovery remains a daunting task.
This deluge follows an unusually dry summer, during which many rivers and lakes saw drastic reductions in water levels, severely impacting agriculture and urban water supplies across the Balkans and much of Europe. Meteorologists have pointed fingers at climate change as a driving factor behind such extreme weather fluctuations, resulting in a mix of drought and subsequent flooding.
Although neighboring Croatia faced similar flood-related issues, reports indicate that there were no fatalities recorded there. Still, local authorities have issued severe weather advisories for both the Adriatic coast and the central parts of the nation. In parallel, Montenegro and Serbia have rolled out identical warnings, bracing for further potential impacts.
Edited by: Ali Musa
Axadle international–Monitoring
