Floods in Western Balkans Cause Huge Damage, Drownings

In Montenegro, heavy rain in the towns of Pljevlja, Mojkovac and Rozaje blocked roads due to rising water levels and landslides. The Interior Ministry said its Protection and Rescue Office was in constant communication with local authorities, adding that the army is on standby if the situation worsens.

The situation was worst in Mojkovac, where floods damaged roads and bridges in several locations, while the River Cehotina flooded some districts in Pljevlja. Floods also hit southern parts of the country but didn't cause significant damage

Local road in Montenegrin town of Mojkovac damaged by flood. Photo: Municipality of Mojkovac

In Serbia, a state of emergency was declared in the southwestern towns of Prijepolje, Sjenica, Novi Pazar and Tutin, in the central towns of Brus and Kursumlija and in Prokuplje in southern Serbia.

In Raska, southern Serbia, schools and kindergartens were closed because of floods. Serbia's public broadcaster RTS reported on Friday that a body was recovered from the Raska River in Novi Pazar, but Interior Ministry did not confirm this.

Serbia's Interior Minister, Bratislav Gasic, said on Thursday that six special rescue teams were searching for two missing persons and that by Thursday evening there were 84 evacuations in Novi Pazar, Sjenica, Prijepolje, Priboj and Brus.

Floods in Serbian town of Novi Pazar. Photo: Municipality Novi Pazar Official Facebook Page

In Kosovo, the Hydrometeorological Institute said on Friday that the most serious situation was in the western, northwestern, and northern parts of the country.

The government on Thursday evening said the situation was stabilizing in the towns of Istog/Istok, Mitrovica and Skenderaj/Srbica but remains difficult in Klina.

Four villages...