Rain and snow cause flooding, damage power lines

Rain and snow cause flooding, damage power lines

BELGRADE -- The area around the town of Sabac was most at danger from flooding during the night, MUP Emergency Situations Sector chief Predrag Maric has said.

He also told the public broadcaster RTS that 27 persons had to be evacuated from their homes in Koceljeva, also in western Serbia.

Maric explained that the areas that were flooded spread along undefended rivers that break their banks with heavy rain.

He also appealed on citizens, particularly in Obrenovac, "not to panic."

"We were in the field, we took aerial photographs and there's no reason to deceive anyone, we didn't do that in May either. There's no reason to panic, the situation cannot compare to that in May."

He said that Friday was "calmer" than the night before, bu that his service will remain on alert and standby until Saturday. Maric observed that local authorities have been acting "more seriously" than before because they worked preventively to clean the canals.

He noted that there were "problems" during the evacuation in Koceljeva, and that for this reason, the Law on Emergency Situations will be changed in May.

It was reported on Friday morning that snow had caused damage to power lines leaving about 30,000 citizens in the Zlatibor District without electricity.

The Interior Ministry (MUP) announced late on Thursday that heavy rain which started on Wednesday caused damage, mostly in western Serbia.

The MUP said that members of the Emergency Situations Sector along with other services were deployed in the areas experiencing heavy precipitation, where they monitor the situation and remain on standby.

A statement said that Novi Pazar and Kraljevo were...