Major floods in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria and Romania

Severe weather, including heavy rainfall and thunderstorms, has been affecting eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, central-southern Serbia, central-western Bulgaria and southern Romania over the past 48 hours, triggering floods. Several cities and municipalities in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia have declared states of emergency.

As of June 5 at 8.00 UTC, 159 people were evacuated in Serbia (notably in the city of Kralievo) and 200 people in southern Romania, DG ECHO reports.

Tuzla authorities declared a state of emergency on June 1. Their Civil Protection Service said that flooding has damaged around 50 homes, along with vehicles, roads, two bridges, water infrastructure and agriculture. About a dozen landslides have been reported in the area. 

Nine municipalities and cities in Serbia have also declared an emergency situation: the city of Kraljevo and the municipalities of Knić, Arilje, Lučani, Vrnjacka Banja, Tutin, Trstenik, Novi Pazar and Sremska Mitrovica.

Power outages and traffic disruption were also reported across central Bulgaria.

Over the next 24 hours, moderate rainfall is forecast over the affected countries, while locally heavy rainfall is forecast over eastern Serbia, southern Romania and western Bulgaria.

Featured image: Floods in Serbia – June 2019. Credit: Ministry of Interior, Serbia