Vithanage Erandi Kawshalya Madhushani Jade Times Staff
V.E.K. Madhushani is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Europe.
Towns and Villages Submerged as Rivers Burst Their Banks
Flash floods and landslides in central Bosnia Herzegovina have claimed at least 14 lives, with entire towns and villages cut off by the destruction. The severe weather, caused by an overnight storm, led to rivers bursting their banks and landslides burying homes under rocks and debris.
Worst Affected Areas
The region around Jablanica, located on the main route between Mostar and Sarajevo, witnessed some of the most catastrophic scenes. Aerial photos revealed widespread flooding, with homes nearly submerged and infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and railway tracks severely damaged or washed away. The state of emergency declared in the region has added urgency to rescue efforts, with dozens of people still missing.
Infrastructural Damage and Rescue Efforts
A 17km stretch of railway near Jablanica was left devastated, and part of the track was seen hanging in midair due to a landslide. Local authorities in Herzegovina Neretva Canton have warned drivers to avoid dangerous roads in the area. Residents reported narrow escapes, with some being forced to flee their homes in the early hours of the morning as floodwaters rose.
The flooding is not limited to Bosnia, as neighboring Montenegro has also experienced road washouts, leaving villages like Komarnica isolated. In Croatia, rising water levels in rivers such as the Kupa have placed parts of the city of Karlovac at risk of flooding.
Climate Change Impact
These floods come on the heels of other devastating floods in Central Europe, which affected countries like Poland, the Czech Republic, and Romania last month. Scientists from the World Weather Attribution (WWA) group have attributed the worsening severity of these floods to climate change, noting that Europe is experiencing rapid warming. The past five years have been significantly warmer, contributing to extreme weather events that are becoming more frequent and destructive.
As rescue operations continue, the scale of the disaster highlights the urgent need to address the growing threat of climate change across Europe.
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