2024 Bosnia and Herzegovina floods

On the night of 3–4 October 2024, southern Bosnia and Herzegovina was struck by floods caused by an atmospheric river produced over the Adriatic Sea. Over the course of the night, several towns in central Bosnia and Herzegovina were flooded. A number of towns were rendered inaccessible along with surrounding villages, as roads, bridges, and railways were blocked by flood waters and landslides.[3][4][5] It is the worst flooding in Bosnia and Herzegovina since the floods in 2014.[6] As of 5 October, 25 fatalities were confirmed,[a] with dozens more missing.[1]

2024 Bosnia and Herzegovina floods
Donja Jablanica after the floods
Date3 October 2024 (2024-10-03) – ongoing
LocationBosnia and Herzegovina (mainly, Jablanica, Fojnica, Kreševo, Kiseljak, Konjic and Visoko)
Deaths25+[a]
Missing"dozens"

Impact

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Reportedly, houses collapsed in flash floods while residents were inside.[7] A spokesman for the Herzegovina–Neretva cantonal government called it the worst crisis in the canton since the Bosnian War, asking citizens not to travel to Jablanica and Konjic.[7] A spokesman for the Herzegovina–Neretva cantonal government called it the worst crisis in the canton since the Bosnian War, asking citizens not to travel to Jablanica and Konjic.[8] Kiseljak, Kreševo and Fojnica in Central Bosnia were also cut off by flood waters,[7] while landslides still threaten to cut off villages such as Vranići and Kojsina.[4] Many villages between Fojnica and Kiseljak were rendered inaccessible.[9] In some places, including Gunjani near Kreševo, the night-time flood destroyed bridges.[5] In Ostrožac, a slide destroyed the railway. Residents of Gojevići near Fojnica reported "scenes reminiscent of disaster films",[4] making narrow escapes from flash floods.[4] In Buturović Polje near Konjic, the torrent swept away several people;[10] one was killed.[11]

Donja Jablanica saw some of the worst damage, with 21 people killed and dozens missing.[1] There were also three deaths in Fojnica and one in Konjic.[2] Some buildings were completely buried by landslides brought on by the floods. The minaret and dome were the only visible part of the local mosque.[12] Prime Minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Nermin Nikšić reported that the landslide which buried the village may have started at a nearby quarry, and that the government is investigating the causes of the slide. Nikšić stated that it was impossible to predict the landslide and evacuate Donja Jablanica in time.[10]

Outside Bosnia and Herzegovina

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There was comparatively minor flooding in neighbouring Croatia, where flash flood warnings were issued for 3–4 October.[13] Gračac and Krk broke their all-time records for daily rainfall, at 249.1 and 192 mm (9.81 and 7.56 in), respectively.[14] Rivers Sava, Kupa and Odra were on the rise due to rainfall. Localised flooding was reported in Ogulin on 4 October[15] and 23 houses were flooded in the Karlovac area during the the following night.[16] Floods were also reported in Montenegro, with buildings being swept away by large streams of water.[17]

Rescue operations and aftermath

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The Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina initially announced 14 deaths in Jablanica and one in Fojnica in a special press conference; "numerous"[18] other missing persons were reported by their families. The SarajevoMostar magistral road was closed due to flood damage.[18] The Ministry of Defence deployed helicopters and one EUFOR helicopter was confirmed to have rescued a child amid the debris left by the flood in Jablanica. The Federal Civil Protection Agency is coordinating the rescue efforts.[4] Sarajevo Canton police blocked traffic to Herzegovina–Neretva Canton[19] and the BIHAMK automobile association advised travellers from northern Bosnia to Herzegovina to detour around affected areas.[7] The country's Central Election Commission announced that the 2024 municipal elections will proceed as planned on 6 October. Many political parties cancelled their election rallies due to the floods.[20][21]

On 5 October, electricity was restored to some areas in the Herzegovina–Neretva Canton. There are plans to repair downed power lines to reach the intact buildings in the Jablanica area. According to Elektropriveda BiH, major damage was averted at three hydroelectric power plants on River Neretva.[22] Repairs of the railway in Ostrožac are expected to take a couple of months and cause "enormous damage" to businesses and to Željeznice FBiH.[23]

International response

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See also

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References

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b Deaths by area
    • 21 in Jablanica[1]
    • 3 in Fojnica[2]
    • 1 in Konjic[2]

Citations

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  1. ^ a b c "At least 21 killed, dozens missing in floods in Bosnia". CNN News. 5 October 2024. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  2. ^ a b c N.V. (5 October 2024). "Pogrešno izbrojani mrtvi u HNK, ukupno je smrtno stradalo 13 osoba u Jablanici i Konjicu" (in Bosnian). Klix.ba. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  3. ^ "Strašna tragedija u BiH, najmanje 15 poginulih, deseci nestalih: 'Upozoravamo na ono što slijedi za vikend, situacija je dramatična!'". Jutarnji list (in Croatian). Zagreb, Croatia. 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Tragedy strikes Bosnia: At least five dead in devastating floods in Jablanica and Konjic". N1Info.ba (in Bosnian). Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina: N1. 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Katastrofalne scene kod Tarčina: Voda odnijela mostove, poplavile kuće i potpuno odsjekla selo". Klix.ba (in Bosnian). 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  6. ^ BJELAJAC, Maja (4 October 2024). "VELIKA TRAGEDIJA POGODILA BIH: Nenaučena lekcija o poplavama iz 2014., ko je sve odgovoran?". Valter Portal (in Bosnian). Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  7. ^ a b c d "Naš reporter probio se do Kiseljaka, pogledajte što je snimio: 'Šteta je ogromna'". Jutarnji list (in Croatian). 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  8. ^ "Potvrđeno 14 smrtnih slučajeva na području Jablanice: "To su oni koje su pronašli spasioci"". Klix.ba (in Bosnian). Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  9. ^ "Strašne poplave pogodile i Fojnicu: Brojna naselja pod vodom, štete nesagledive". Klix.ba (in Bosnian). 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  10. ^ a b "Nikšić o kamenolomu u Jablanici: Neka porodica Honđo je vlasnik, na mještane se obrušilo kompletno brdo". Klix.ba (in Bosnian). 5 October 2024. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  11. ^ "Bolnica iz Turske ponudila pomoć unesrećenim nakon razornih poplava u dijelovima BiH". Klix.ba (in Bosnian). 5 October 2024. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  12. ^ "Kataklizmične scene iz Donje Jablanice: Kuće zatrpane do krova, iznad nanosa zemlje se vidi samo munara". Klix.ba (in Bosnian). 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  13. ^ "Zbog obilne kiše prijeti opasnost od bujičnih poplava" (in Croatian). Zagreb, Croatia: Croatian Radiotelevision. 3 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  14. ^ Pelajić, Izidor; Vakula, Zoran (4 October 2024). "Oborina ponegdje oborila rekorde!" (in Croatian). Croatian Radiotelevision. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  15. ^ "Vodostaji Save, Kupe i Odre u porastu, u Ogulinu poplavljene kuće i podrumi" (in bos). Croatian Radiotelevision. 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  16. ^ Pušić, Mario (5 October 2024). "Kupa je premašila sve prognoze: Tijekom noći ušla u 23 kuće, najviše ih je poplavljeno u Brodarcima". Jutarnji list (in Croatian). Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  17. ^ "Poplave širom Crne Gore, voda prodrla u kuće, nosila objekte" (in Montenegrin). rtcg. 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  18. ^ a b "Vanredno obraćanje Vlade FBiH zbog nacionalne tragedije usljed poplava u BiH". Klix.ba (in Bosnian). 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  19. ^ "Sarajevska policija preusmjerava saobraćaj prema HNK jer je većina puteva devastirana". Klix.ba (in Bosnian). 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  20. ^ "Treba li CIK odgoditi izbore u nedjelju? Poginulo je 15 ljudi, a prekinuta je i putna žila kucavica". Klix.ba (in Bosnian). 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  21. ^ "Schmidt: Izmjene Izbornog zakona sam uveo da bih zaštitio vaš glas, to se sada provodi". Klix.ba (in Bosnian). 5 October 2024. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  22. ^ "Elektroprivreda BiH: Određena područja su već dobila struju, ali tražimo alternativu za kritična naselja". Klix.ba (in Bosnian). 5 October 2024. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  23. ^ "Bit će potrebno nekoliko mjeseci za uspostavljanje željezničkog saobraćaja: Dnevni gubitak je čak 280.000 KM". Klix.ba (in Bosnian). 5 October 2024. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  24. ^ "Plenković: Hrvatska je spremna pomoći BiH, nadamo se što manjem gubitku ljudskih života". Oslobođenje (in Bosnian). 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  25. ^ "Evropski zvaničnici pružili podršku stanovnicima poplavljenih područja, aktiviran i program Copernicus". Klix.ba (in Bosnian). 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  26. ^ "Milatović pružio podršku građanima BiH: Crna Gora nudi svaku vrstu pomoći poplavljenim područjima". Klix.ba (in Bosnian). 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  27. ^ "Vučić ponudio pomoć Bosni i Hercegovini: Spremni smo pomoći iste sekunde". Klix.ba (in Bosnian). 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  28. ^ "V poplavah v BiH-u umrlo najmanj 21 ljudi, nadaljuje se iskanje pogrešanih". RTVSLO (in Slovenian). Ljubljana, Slovenia. 5 October 2024. Retrieved 5 October 2024.