Heavy rains trigger floods in central BiH

Sarajevo [Bosnia and Herzegovina], January 11: Heavy rains have once more triggered flooding in Bosnia and Herzegovina's (BiH) central region. The Konjic municipality said Friday that around 10 houses had been submerged and road infrastructure disrupted.
In October, heavy rains in BiH's central region led to floods and landslides, killing at least 26 people. Damages in the hardest-hit municipalities were estimated at 100 million KM (52 million U.S. dollars).
Local authorities have set up several settlements near the affected areas to house displaced families.
An official from Konjic told local media that rising water levels in rivers caused by rain and snowmelt have breached embankments and flooded surrounding properties. Machinery has been deployed to deepen riverbeds as an emergency measure.
The official warned that unless proper watercourse regulation is implemented, the area will remain vulnerable to similar disasters.
"After the catastrophic floods in October, residents began repairing their homes. Unfortunately, these homes have been flooded again," he said.
So far, no casualties have been reported in this week's floods. Authorities have launched emergency measures and are helping residents relocate to safer areas while urging vigilance in high-risk zones.
Source: Xinhua News Agency