Thousands evacuated, water and landslides damage homes

Thousands evacuated, water and landslides damage homes

The situation is slowly stabilizing in the town of Valjevo in western Serbia, which was among the worst-hit, with the Kolubara River flooding, cutting off road traffic, many residents evacuated and others left without electricity and water supplies to their homes.

The Kolubara's water level has started to recede on Friday morning.

In nearby Ub the situation is still critical, with thousands evacuated and huge damage done to homes and infrastructure.

Krupanj in western Serbia remains cut off from the world, and without electricity, water, or phone service. In Bajina Bašta, landslides damaged 11 homes and shut down several roads in the area.

The Belgrade municipality of Obrenovac has been flooded since last night and left without electricity, and the water was still rising on Friday morning.

Hundreds of homes have also been flooded and hundreds of residents evacuated in Čačak, Gornji Milanovac, Smederevo, Velika Plana, Požega, Topola, Kula, Aranđelovac, Rača.

The following 1st and 2nd category roads were closed on Friday morning: Kosjerić-Seča Reka, Makovište-Povlenska Kosa, Kosjerić-Varda, Valjevo-Kosjerić; Rogačica-Okletac, Kostojevići-Varda, Rogačica-Dub, Debelo brdo-Rogačica, Bajina Bašta-Manastir Rača, Ljubovija-Rogačica.

State roads Loznica-Krupanj near Kostajnik, and Zavlaka-Tekeriš in Donja Badanja are also closed. A state of emergency has been in effect in the entire territory of the republic since Thursday.

Late last night the Interior Ministry (MUP) confirmed that two people died as a consequence of the natural disaster, while two were listed as missing, a firefighter among them. 20 others were injured.

1,654 members of MUP's firefighting and rescue teams with 365 vehicles and 50 boats are taking part in the rescue and assistance effort, as are 150 members of the PTJ and SAJ special police units, 333 Gendarmes, and 494 members of the Serbian Army, who deployed seven helicopters, and vehicles and other equipmen.

They were joined on Friday morning by a team of rescuers sent by the Russian Federation.