To improve the system of flood prevention on the torrential watercourses of the rivers Rzav, Kamisina and Raca, Municipality of Visegrad, City of Uzice and Municipality of Bajina Basta jointly implemented a two-year project “Flood Defence System in Cross Border Area Serbia-BiH” and results of it have been presented today in Visegrad.
The project enabled improvement of the infrastructure, but also raised the awareness of citizens on how to respond in floods and other emergencies. It was funded by the European Union in total value of 962,000 EUR in the territory of both countries.
“Considering that floods have been identified as one of the biggest disaster risks for citizens in Bosnia and Herzegovina, I am particularly pleased to be here today and have the opportunity to see results of EU assistance to Bosnia and Herzegovina for floods recovery and floods management”, said Head of Cooperation of the European Union Delegation to BiH, Richard Màša.
Mayor of Visegrad Municipality Mladen Djurevic emphasized the importance of this project for the entire local community and expressed his satisfaction with the successful and good cooperation during the project implementation.
“Visegrad has improved the flood defence system by constructing a bank revetment on the river Rzav, as well as through trainings of the Civil Protection members who are qualified to act as professionals in case of floods”, Djurevic said.
The project coordinator from the Municipality of Visegrad, Radmilo Mihajlovic, explained that the flood defence infrastructure was renewed through the project.
“680 meters of wicker fence was built in the river bed of the river Kamisina in Mokra Gora to prevent the river bed from landslide, the consolidation barriers on the two-kilometer stretch of the Jatarica site were reconstructed, bank revetment was constructed and riverbed of the river Raca was regulated at the location of the confluence of the rivers Raca and Drina and the river Rzav is regulated in the sports hall zone by constructing a bank revetment and accompanying adjustments in the length of 348 meters”, added Mihajlovic.
It is particularly important for all three municipalities that system for early announcement of the flood waves in the rivers Rzav and Raca has been established and two rain gauge stations for the early announcement of the flood wave were purchased and installed at locations in Mokra Gora and Tara Mountain. Civil protection units with 11 members in each of the three local self-government units were formed, trained and equipped, and protective and emergency response equipment was purchased.
