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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Flood teams in action round-the-clock

Belgrade, 13 April 2006

Serbia-Montenegrin Minister of Defence Zoran Stankovic submitted a report today to the Serbian government on behalf of his Ministry dealing with the current situation of flood threats.

Zoran Stankovic at today's press conference

Speaking at a press conference held after the government's session, Stankovic said that according to the data of the Serbian Hydrometeorological Bureau, the level of the Danube in Novi Sad has receded by 3 centimetres in relation to yesterday, while downstream from Novi Sad the Danube is still on the rise, growing by 13 centimetres since yesterday.

The highest water levels in Zemun are expected on April 15, when according to estimates the river will reach approximately 770 centimetres, the Minister of Defence explained. He added that level of the Tisa river is still rising significantly, reaching 806 centimetres near Titel today, which shows that the river is rising 1 centimetre per hour.

Stankovic said that the highest level of the Tisa is expected in the night between April 15 and 16, when according to estimates it will reach as much as 820 centimetres.

Stankovic explained that the Sava river in the territory of Belgrade is still on the rise because the water level has increased by 14 centimetres in relation to yesterday. The Sava is expected to reach its highest in the night between April 14 and 15, when the water level will be 723 centimetres.

According to the Minister, settlements on the banks of the Danube are the ones that have been flooded so far. These are the Beocin municipality where a hundred houses have been flooded, of which 69 have been evacuated, the settlement of Cerevic where 60 houses have been flooded and 10 evacuated, the settlement of Susek where 60 houses have been flooded, 4 evacuated and 1 pulled down. In the municipality of Negotin, 26 houses in the village of Radujevac have been flooded.

Stankovic stressed that the most endangered area are banks of the Tisa, that is, the municipalities of Zrenjanin, Titel and Zabalj.

The situation is worst in the settlement of Belo Blato which has some 2,000 inhabitants and where people are still trying to keep the water at bay by building barricades. However, sweeping preparations are underway for possible evacuation of inhabitants, the Minister said.

When the water levels reach their peak, parts of Belgrade that might be endangered are the Danube's right bank in Zemun, the Sava's right bank from Makis to Nebojsina Kula tower, as well as the settlements of Veliko Selo and Slanci in the territory of Visnjicka Banja. Belgrade's suburb of Grocka might also be hit by floods.

The Minister explained that downstream from Belgrade, the most endangered areas can be Smederevo, Veliko Gradiste, Negotin and Golubac.

Stankovic specified that the Ministry of Defence has so far engaged some 3,700 people, of whom 2,200 are army members and 1,500 soldiers serving civil military service. The Minister added that the Ministry of Defence has put all its forces at disposal of the competent bodies of the Republic of Serbia.

Velimir Ilic

Serbian Minister of Capital Investment Velimir Ilic said that this morning together with representatives of the Serbian Water Management Directorate he visited the most endangered areas of Vojvodina which are Titel, Novi Sad, Beocin and Zrenjanin.

According to Ilic, it was observed on that occasion that dikes are still intact everywhere, and that areas outside the protected zone have been hit by flooding.

The army is doing its job, using barges and boats they are bringing sacks of sand to enforce the dikes, explained Ilic. He added that the heaviest mechanisation has also been engaged which was delivered last night to the most threatened areas where intensive work is being done on reinforcing dikes.

Ilic said that today at the session of the Serbian government a decision was brought on expanding the scope of the Coordinating body for elimination of consequences of landslides in Serbia, by activating this body for the clean-up of consequences of floods as well.

The Minister said that the government has earmarked funds worth 98 million dinars for construction of houses in areas that have been additionally affected by landslides, which are Nis, Ljubovija, Bajina Basta, Ljig, Koceljeva, Ub, Valjevo, Cacak, Kraljevo, Kragujevac, Lucani, and the area Vucje where the dikes got damaged.

He said that additional funds have been provided to municipalities of Jagodina, Beocin, Osecina and Zabalj for securing fuel, food for the population and cattle.

The government at its session today allocated a total of 195 million dinars for providing help to the most affected areas, Ilic said and appealed to the population not to give in to panic since competent teams are on the field night and day.