Serbia Battles to Control Extent of Flood Disaster

Thousands of rescuers in boats and police and army in helicopters are trying to prevent further damage in the town of Obrenovac, south of Belgrade, after the Kolubara river burst its banks and flooded 90 per cent of the town.

The Interior Ministry said more than 4,000 people had been evacuated already from Obrenovac, and more requests for evacuation are coming.

Power in the town has been cut off for safety reasons.

Serbia receives help from abroad

So far, eight EU member-states - France, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Germany, Hungary, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Croatia - have reacted to the severe flooding in Serbia by providing help.

The EU info center in Belgrade has said that others are preparing to follow suit.

The US embassy in Belgrade expressed deep sympathy with thousands of Serbian citizens hit by floods and released that it has set aside 100,000 dollars worth of assistance.

Israel is another country that has decided to help by sending medicines, blankets, inflatable boats, and food.

The neighbouring Bulgaria, Macedonia and Montenegro have also sent help.

Seventy six Russian emergency rescuers were the first to come on Thursday night.

Predrag Maric, head of police emergency sector, on Saturday said the situation in Obrenovac remained very critical and that rescuers had started uncovering death bodies.

“I will not reveal the number until the water goes down,” Maric said.

The situation is also critical in the nearby towns of Krupanj and Ub, which are cut off from the rest of the country. Maric said help would reach these towns on Saturday.

The situation in Sabac, on the river Sava, had been saved, Ljubisa Dikovic, head of emergency team in Sabac, said...