Recent storms destroyed more roofs in Kraljevo than 2010 earthquake: "Are we some kind of disaster magnet?"

Printscreen: Aero Klub Kraljevo

The recent hailstorms caused great material damage to households, businesses and farms in the villages near Kraljevo, and the suburban settlements near Zapadna (Western) Morava River.

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In the last thirteen years, residents of Grdice have been especially unlucky. Many of them are now repairing serious damage done to houses and auxiliary structures, for the fourth time in a little over a decade.

First, an earthquake hit in 2010, then came the floods of 2014 and 2016. This year, a storm that brought with it hailstones the size of a chicken egg broke through even aluminum doors. Each time, the local, with the help of their friends, rolled up their sleeves and repaired the damage all over again.

Perica Dukanac from Grdica near Kraljevo says that since the last storm, 650 roof tiles, sheet metal on auxiliary structures, and more have been damaged on both his family's homes.

According to him, corn and alfalfa crops sustained the greatest damage, because they are crucial as livestock feed. "That's because we make a living from producing milk, we have about 80 cattle and 150 sheep," he noted.

"We left this house at half past one at night, before the winter, almost all of us had to sleep in one room, while we repaired the downstairs so that the children could have their space to study. And you're patient, you take it easy, first, let's fix this a bit... now look, this house looks like bullets hit it," says Dragica Dukanac.

The Glavonjic family can testify - more roof tiles were damaged now than in the earthquake, and in back 2010 when that happened, they got help quickly - in the form of new roof tiles.

"I don't know why Grdica is offensive or what (a play on words - "grdno," the root of the word Grdica, means "nasty" in Serbian). I don't know if the name alone attracts some misfortune or what. We regularly celebrate liturgies, we have the priest over, we do everything, but still, something's just not right," says Jovan Glavonjic, a local in Grdica.

The Trifunovics, who, like many neighbors, had water floood their house twice, are no better off. Now their roofs, windows, crops, cars have also been damaged.

"At first it's hard, but then somehow we muster up the strength, talk amongst each other, and say, we're moving on, there's no other way. We are where we are, we decided to live here in this area regardless of all the adversities that have come upon us during these years. But it's an extremely painful feeling, starting all over time and time again," says Nemanja Trifunovic from Grdica near Kraljevo.

The residents of nearby villages along the Zapadna Morava River, as well as the parts of the city over which the hail cloud passed on Saturday, share similar feelings. Those who can, fix things themselves. But many are wondering - will someone come to assess the damage?

"We have sent the assessment (documents) to the Ministry of Public Investments. When a state of natural disaster is declared by the Government of Serbia, the conditions for reporting damage will be met, after which commissions can go out into the field to assess the category of damage to residential buildings, and after that it will be possible to receive some assistance from the state," said Predrag Terzic, the mayor of Kraljevo.

(Telegraf.rs)