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Dozens of homes flooded in Bosnia after heavy rainfall, many for the fifth time in 20 months


January 19, 2015   by Aida Cerkez, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS


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SARAJEVO, Bosnia – Heavy overnight rainfall has caused rivers to rise in the Sarajevo area on Monday and flood homes in the suburbs for the fifth time in the past 20 months.

The city’s Civil Protection department said that about 100 homes were underwater. Rescuers evacuated an elderly woman, but complained that many residents refused evacuation.

Related: 2014 natural disaster insured losses well below 10-year average

Residents said that over the past few years their homes have been flooded two or three times annually.

“It’s chaotic here. I am afraid and I didn’t sleep last night at all,” said Enver Becirevic, a resident of the Doglodi suburb. “We live in fear all the time.”

In central Bosnia, the river Bosna is reaching a critical level and rain has caused at least three landslides. Several roads were closed.

Bosnians have still not recovered from the devastating floods in May, the worst in 120 years. The flooding displaced 90,000 people and left 43,000 homes in need of repair. The floods devastated the agriculture industry, infrastructure, farms, buildings and homes in about 40 per cent of the country.

Rain is expected to continue to fall for the rest of the week.


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