Dramatic scenes in western Serbia: Flooded roads, meadows, villages cut off from the world

A storm that was forecast roared through western Serbia last night and left behind devastation. The rain that was falling continuously for more than six hours again led to the overflowing of the Bresnica River in the village of Katrga near Cacak. Images of flooded meadows, roads and a football pitch emerged this morning.

"The water is still rising, but for now it is not alarming. The rain has not stopped since last night, and the water has reached basements, roads have been cut off, so we are forced to move through the village and go to work using only off-road vehicles," Milos Cekanovic, a resident of Katrga, told RINA.

A severe storm hit the municipality of Ivanjica where several villages have been cut off from the world, which is why an emergency situation was declared in Devici, Pridvorica, Ostija, Srednja Reka and Brusnik.

"Just two days ago we had the same situation. The heavy rains destroyed almost 100 percent of roads at the foot of Mt. Golija and caused damage of over 50 million dinars. This today finished us off, it is extremely difficult for the residents of the affected villages. We are doing everything in our power to help them, but this time we are powerless without the help of higher national institutions," said Momcilo Mitrovic, the president of the municipality of Ivanjica.

Another strong storm hit Ivanjica on Tuesday and left behind destroyed roads, triggered landslides and cut households off from the world, while lightning struck and killed a cow.

As a result of soil erosion, households in the villages below Golija are at risk: in Brusnik, Pridvorica, Devici, Ostija, Srednja Reka, Ocrten, Staro Selo and Koritnik.

(Telegraf.rs)