Serbia Battles to Save Power Plant From Floods

Workers of the Nikola Tesla A power plant have gathered with volunteers and colleagues from the state power giant EPS in Obrenovac, southwest of Belgrade, to build an additional bulwark around the plant and protect it from potential flooding.

"We are not tired and we will work as long as necessary," one of the workers said.

The extra security measures have been taken as another wave of flooding threatens to hit the town in the coming hours.

Aleksandar Antic, Serbian Energy Minister, said:  "We are getting ready for a worst case scenario, to ensure the safety of power plants."

Obrenovac was hit hard by severe floods after the river Kolubara burst its banks on Friday, flooding the town, claiming 14 lives and forcing its 70,000 inhabitants to evacuate. The authorities say that they expect to find more victims.

On Wednesday, the water receded from the main streets of Obrenovac but some neighbourhoods remained submerged.

The situation is also stable in the town of Sabac on the river Sava, where troops and volonteers have continued to strengthen walls made of sandbags. They fear a new flood wave may come from Croatia in the west.  

A preventive evacution of children, women, the elderly and the sick continued in Sabac on Wednesday.

On Tuesday night, the level of the Danube rose to 697cm in the town of Smederevo, which is 13cm below the limit when a state of emergency must be declared in the town.

Last Thursday, Serbia declared state of emergency in the whole country. So far, 22 people have reportedly lost their lives in the floods while over 30,000 have been evacuated.

The authorities say it is the worst rain to hit Serbia in well over a century. Last Wednesday, as much rain...