The storm caused enormous damage throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Power outages, landslides, flooded houses, broken trees, and damaged roofs have been reported in all parts of our country. The stormy wind caused great damage in Sarajevo, while a large number of landslides were created in Jablanica under the gusts of rain.
The area of Jablanica was the most affected by this storm. Traffic on the main road M-17 was slowed down due to water spills from the slopes, and classes in the entire area of the municipality were canceled. Members of the civil protection reacted in time and a good part of the landslide has already been cleared. But, the danger has not passed, so the declaration of a state of natural disaster is being considered.
“We are closely monitoring and in accordance with the situation, if the situation requires it, we will declare a state of natural disaster,” told Omer Karic, a spokesman for the Municipality of Jablanica.
Yesterday, the wind reached a speed of over 80 kilometers per hour, and in the area of Sarajevo, Tomislavgrad, and Kupres it damaged the roofs of a number of houses. Strong winds broke trees and damaged a number of cars.
The weather should calm down in the upcoming days, but full stabilization will not happen yet.
“Most likely, new precipitation is expected tonight and tomorrow, so in these areas where there are problems with landslides and floods, the situation could become even more complicated. I am talking about 40 to an additional 100 liters of new precipitation, so there could be problems with landslides, and for everyone who travels from the direction of Konjic or Sarajevo, it is better to postpone the trip, ” stated yesterday Zoran Zadro, a meteorologist.
The extent of the damage caused by the storm is still unknownand will be added up in the following days. Even though there are no official records of rain that fell per square meter yet, some estimates say it could be a record rainfall for 2021.
Heavy rainfall has caused major problems in Herzegovina, where many facilities have been flooded due to rising river levels. In the area of Mostar, the water level of the Neretva rose by 119 centimeters in just four hours.
In Blagaj, the river Buna flooded several buildings after it overflowed its bed. There was also a rise in groundwater and torrents of water. Citizens of Blagaj that the Anadolu Agency (AA) team found near the dervish tekke explainedthat the situation was similar 12 years ago, but this is still the highest water level they remember.
“Another problem in this case is the groundwater that goes up. It is still a smaller problem compared to what causes precipitation. Meteorologists have announced rain for last night, so todayaround noon the water level of the Buna will for sure be higher than yesterday by twenty centimeters. That would really be a problem. Also, we are all afraid that a nearby stream will flow, which flows only in cases of heavy rainfall. And that would further complicate things, “ stated one Blagaj resident, who has been by the river since yesterday morning.
The younger Blagaj citizens with whom the AA team spoke also remember the snow from 2012 when the water level of the Buna was also high, and they note that last year due to heavy rain the situation was similar but that the water level dropped after a few days.
The water level of the Buna measured yesterday (at 8 a.m.) showed that this river has reached the highest water level since the beginning of the station’s work in 1923. According to the Adriatic Sea Watershed Agency, it was 195 centimeters.
