No new flooding expected, levee repairs to follow

BELGRADE - Public company for integrated water management Srbijavode does not expect any new flood waves and plans to complete the restoration of damaged levees and flood defenses, worth around RSD 1.6 billion, by July 2015.

Around 20 projects totaling EUR 30 million have been drafted, most of them aimed at upgrading and rebuilding the existing flood defense systems and intended to be funded from foreign sources, company officials told Tanjug on Friday.

Srbijavode's deputy chief executive for flood defense Zvonimir Kocic said that based on the latest forecasts, no new flood waves are expected in Serbia. He added that major rivers might overflow the banks, but not to a large extent.

The flood defenses damaged by the severe flooding this year will be repaired using the funds from the government reconstruction program, which includes the investments in around 150 critical sites, one hundred of which are top priority and must be completed well before July 2015.

There are several critical locations in Serbia with insufficient flood defenses - the area of Macva, which is at risk from the Rivers Drina and Sava, the area of Zajecar, eastern Serbia, several locations in Paracin, Svilajnac, Smederevska Palanka, parts of Cuprija, central Serbia, and many other sites.

The areas at risk along the main rivers include the towns of Smederevo, Veliko Gradiste and Golubac on the right bank of the river Danube, he specified.

"The flood wave in May has shown that there are serious problems with the flood defense and risk reduction systems across Serbia," Kocic stressed.

Srbijavode will prepare a plan for the coming year, which will envisage larger funds for regular maintenance, said Kocic, adding that around...