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Flood Danger Persists in Serbia, Threatening Power Plant Flood Danger Persists in Serbia, Threatening Power Plant
(4 months later)
WARSAW — The rain has stopped, at last, but the danger persists in flood-ravaged Serbia, where a lake of water is pushing its way down the Sava River, toward the Danube, threatening the capital, Belgrade, and the power plant southwest of the city that provides half of the nation’s electricity. WARSAW — The rain has stopped, at last, but the danger persists in flood-ravaged Serbia, where a lake of water is pushing its way down the Sava River, toward the Danube, threatening the capital, Belgrade, and the power plant southwest of the city that provides half of the nation’s electricity.
Workers already had been struggling around the clock to build a barricade of sandbags to save the coal-fired Nikola Tesla power plant in the hard-hit town of Obrenovac, along the Sava. So far, they have been successful.Workers already had been struggling around the clock to build a barricade of sandbags to save the coal-fired Nikola Tesla power plant in the hard-hit town of Obrenovac, along the Sava. So far, they have been successful.
But the storm surge, which was subsiding in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina and also western Serbia, was expected to edge into the Belgrade area late Monday and crest sometime Wednesday.But the storm surge, which was subsiding in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina and also western Serbia, was expected to edge into the Belgrade area late Monday and crest sometime Wednesday.
Serbia’s police chief, Nebojsa Stefanovic, ordered Obrenovac evacuated on Monday, along with 11 other towns and villages. Thousands had already fled the town, which remains largely submerged, but thousands of others are thought to be waiting in their homes for help, without power or drinkable water. Hundreds were flown out by helicopter on Monday.Serbia’s police chief, Nebojsa Stefanovic, ordered Obrenovac evacuated on Monday, along with 11 other towns and villages. Thousands had already fled the town, which remains largely submerged, but thousands of others are thought to be waiting in their homes for help, without power or drinkable water. Hundreds were flown out by helicopter on Monday.
Before the rains subsided, as much rain had fallen on the region in three days as normally falls in three months, officials said. It was the worst flooding Serbia and Bosnia had seen since records began to be kept 120 years ago.Before the rains subsided, as much rain had fallen on the region in three days as normally falls in three months, officials said. It was the worst flooding Serbia and Bosnia had seen since records began to be kept 120 years ago.
Red Cross officials said that 300,000 people were already without water or electricity in Serbia, and another 50,000 in neighboring Bosnia, also hard hit by the flooding. Relief workers from across Europe were rushing to help tens of thousands of Serbian and Bosnian soldiers and rescue teams.Red Cross officials said that 300,000 people were already without water or electricity in Serbia, and another 50,000 in neighboring Bosnia, also hard hit by the flooding. Relief workers from across Europe were rushing to help tens of thousands of Serbian and Bosnian soldiers and rescue teams.
Zlatko Lagumdzija, the foreign minister of Bosnia, said that 100,000 buildings in that country — homes, schools, hospitals — had been rendered unusable by the flooding, and a half million people had either been evacuated or fled. A state of emergency had been declared in 14 municipalities.Zlatko Lagumdzija, the foreign minister of Bosnia, said that 100,000 buildings in that country — homes, schools, hospitals — had been rendered unusable by the flooding, and a half million people had either been evacuated or fled. A state of emergency had been declared in 14 municipalities.
There and in Serbia, government officials worried that some of the estimated 100,000 land mines left from the 1992-95 war in the region had been lost or dislodged in the thousands of landslides caused by the floods.There and in Serbia, government officials worried that some of the estimated 100,000 land mines left from the 1992-95 war in the region had been lost or dislodged in the thousands of landslides caused by the floods.
“The consequences of the floods are terrifying,” Mr. Lagumdzija told reporters. “The physical destruction is not less than caused by the war. The only difference from the war is less people have died.”“The consequences of the floods are terrifying,” Mr. Lagumdzija told reporters. “The physical destruction is not less than caused by the war. The only difference from the war is less people have died.”
At least 35 people had been killed in the flooding, officials said, and more bodies were expected to be revealed by the retreating waters, which were exposing a vast landscape of mud, shattered homes, twisted debris and battered bridges, highways and rail lines.At least 35 people had been killed in the flooding, officials said, and more bodies were expected to be revealed by the retreating waters, which were exposing a vast landscape of mud, shattered homes, twisted debris and battered bridges, highways and rail lines.