Situation stable at power plant in eastern Serbia

Situation stable at power plant in eastern Serbia

BELGRADE -- The Serbian Interior Ministry said on Monday morning that so far 25,070 people had been evacuated from their homes due to the severe flooding.

Of that number, 7,800 had to leave Obrenovac, a municipality of Belgrade near the Kolubara River, where the situation remains the most difficult. 17 people have been confirmed dead so far.

In eastern Serbia, the thermal power plant Kostolac and its strip coal mines have not been flooded and are not in immediate danger, while production is taking place unimpeded. The personnel dealing with the situation remains on standby.

Beside Obrenovac, the situation is particularly difficult in Krupanj, Sremska Rača, and Jamena in western Serbia, while the embankment built along the Sava River to defend the town of Šabac from the flood water is stable.

The Sava River (Tanjug)

The Sava was on Monday morning five centimeters lower than last night.

Krupanj, devastated by the floods in the past days, is now hit by landslides. One such location that threatened an ammonia cooling facility has been repaired, said the MUP. The town is receiving shipments of food and water.

At this point, 26,000 households in Serbia remain without electricity. 2,260 buildings have been flooded. Five helicopters worked on Sunday to evacuate 36 persons and transport over four tons of food and water.

Taking part were helicopter units from Hungary and Slovenia, and from the EU mission in Kosovo, EULEX.