Balkans Flooding Triggers 3,000 Landslides

At least 44 people have died across Bosnia and Serbia; the death toll is expected to rise further.

14:06 19 May 2014

International rescue teams are now facing thousands of unprecedented landslides as they try to reach the victims in the Balkans. As of this writing, there had been 44 confirmed deaths with the number expected to rise further. The 3,000 reported landslides are blocking the roads and damaging even more homes. 

 

One of the evacuees, 40-year-old father Dragan Todorovic, said: "I carried my kids out on my back, then waited 12 hours to be rescued myself.

 

"The house was new, built two years ago for 100,000 euros. What now?"

 

The country is now battling to save key power stations. Alma Muslibegovic, a spokeswoman for the country's EPS power firm, said: "The army, police, volunteers and Kostolac employees are using all mechanisation and are piling up sandbags to slow the river flow and prevent it from entering the power generation system."

 

Authorities have confirmed that the impact of the massive flood will cost the country a lot of money as it affected the agricultural sector that is vital to both the Serbian and Bosnian economies. 

 

Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said: "The danger today is less than it was yesterday, but we have to control the Sava as much as we can," Mr Vucic told a televised Cabinet session.

 

"These are the kind of waters not seen in 1,000 years, let alone 100."