Emergency situation could be lifted - Interior Ministry

Emergency situation could be lifted - Interior Ministry

The government on March 10 declared a nationwide emergency situation as a preventative measure due to the floods.

Nikolic said that weather forecasts, "which are favorable," will be a decisive factor in making the decision, and that rivers should "stay within their banks."

He said that since no major rainfall is forecast, "one can sleep peacefully," but warned that the floods "started early this year."

"It's only March. We'll remain vigilant, what's good is that Srbijavode (state water management enterprise) and local self-governments have done a lot on the rivers," he said, adding that personnel from the Sector, the military, the Gendarmerie and other forces remained in the field.

Nikolic noted that the town of Lucani suffered the most in last week's' flooding, and that the water has receded there with work now focused on the clean-up.

UN assistance

UN Resident Coordinator in Serbia Irena Vojackova Sollorano has said the UN will offer financial assistance to Kraljevo, and Cacak which was worst hit by the severe flooding, as well as support these central Serbian towns through projects.

She told state broadcaster RTS on Sunday she had come to the area of Kraljevo to learn first-hand about the steps taken in the last two years to protect at-risk settlements.

Since 2014, the UN has been backing the recovery of flood-affected areas, she noted.

Sollorano underlined USD 7 million had been invested in Serbia's protection from further flooding through the UN Development Program.

The estimate is that there is now less damage than in 2014.

Kraljevo Mayor Tomislav Ilic said that over 500 homes in Grdica were flooded in 2014, while now water broke into 170 homes, thanks to the flood barriers made of sandbags.