Telegraf in flooded southern villages: Huge damage, hospital has no water supply; Bujanovac at risk

At the second extraordinary meeting, after analyzing the situation on the ground and the damage caused by yesterday's floods, the headquarters for emergency situations of the municipality of Bujanovac made a decision to declare an emergency situation.

It was said at the meeting that the damage had been considered and that competent central and local authorities should be informed urgently to be on high alert.

In this situation, it has been said, the help of the Red Cross is needed, as well as of the Veterinary Station for the job of disinfecting the terrain and delivery of aid. Also, drinking water supply has been interrupted in three villages, Lucana, Turija and Trnovac, due to the flooded wells. As announced, these settlements will receive drinking water by noon on Wednesday.

The HQ also ordered a commission to immediately start assessing the damage caused by the flooding. Citizens are expected to report the damage as soon as possible, in order for the commission to assess it and in order to receive compensation.

The area of ​​Poljanica near Vranje, which covers 22 villages, has been without electricity for three days now.

According to locals in Vlase, the central village in this area, the outage started on Sunday night, during a heavy downpour of rain and snow.

"The problem occurred on the grid in the village of Urmanica, that is maintained by the local branch of Elektrodistribucija (EDB) from Vladicin Han. During the two days without electricity, life has been very difficult. There is no internet, no mobile reception, and the Yumco (factory) plant is not working either. Doctors cannot prescribe medicines, and the food in the freezers has started to thaw," says Novica Cvetkovic, who works as a laboratory assistant at the Healthcare Center in Vlase.

Due to the flooding of the South Morava, a part of the village of Zlatokop was under water last night, i.e., the houses and fields on the right side of the road at the entrance to the village, from the direction of Vranje.

According to one of the residents from this village, some people from this part of the settlement got evacuated overnight.

"The river broke through the defensive embankment, so the water reached those houses as well. Basements, sheds and fields got flooded. The elderly, children and pregnant women were evacuated from there by trucks during the night. This morning, the road to Vranje was passable, buses were running," this woman added.

Looking from Vranje, one can see that the entire field in Zlatokop, as well as Cukovac, has been flooded hundreds of meters to the left and right sides of the South Morava.

The road to Cukovac from the direction of Vranje through the railway station is not passable, so villagers are reaching Vranje via Zlatokop or Vranjska Banja.

According to unofficial information, an emergency situation is expected to be declared in the territory of Vranje as well.

It has been in force in Vladicin Han since yesterday and the consequences of the flood are being eliminated, especially in villages of the Morava River basin.

The swollen Brestovacka River carried away a bridge made out of concrete pipes that were interconnected and were the only way to reach the monastery in Katsapun near Vladicin Han.

These connected pipes were effectively the only path to this 13th century shrine.

Due to the Masuricka River in Surdulica getting muddy, there have been difficulties with drinking water supplies. A Covid hospital has also been left without water, having not had electricity for some time, but according to local authorities, no effort is being spared to provide the hospital with water as soon as possible.

(Sladjana Tasic)