Severe flooding in Bosnia and Herzegovina has resulted in at least 16 fatalities, with search and rescue operations ongoing for missing individuals. The most affected area is the mountain village of Jablanica, located approximately 70 kilometers southwest of the capital, Sarajevo, where heavy rain and storms triggered a landslide that buried homes under heavy debris, leading to the deaths of twelve people.
Four additional fatalities were reported in other inundated locations nearby. The Prime Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nermin Niksic, described the situation as very serious, stating that many residents are unable to leave their homes. In response to the crisis, the government has declared a state of emergency and established a crisis team.
Authorities are investigating whether the technical condition of a nearby quarry contributed to the disaster, as the boulders in Jablanica are believed to have originated from there. Niksic commented, “You don’t need a special investigator to see that they were victims of the entire hillside collapsing in this settlement.”
In Kiseljak, about 30 kilometers from Sarajevo, numerous homes, gardens, and vehicles were reported submerged. The mayor described the flooding as a “biblical deluge” affecting hundreds of homes. The unusually heavy rainfall began on Thursday evening, prompting Croatia to issue flood warnings for its northern Adriatic coast, the Istrian peninsula, and inland areas.
The Bosnian army has been deployed to the affected regions for support, including helicopters. Injured individuals are being evacuated with the assistance of EUFOR helicopters, which involve German forces. The civil protection agency has warned that large parts of the population remain at risk of further flooding and landslides.