OBRENOVAC

Death toll in flood-hit town of Obrenovac unknown

BELGRADE -- The flood-hit areas of Obrenovac and Barič near Belgrade, Sremska Mitrovica in the north and Krupanj and Šabac in western Serbia remain the most critical.

The village of Barič has been preventively evacuated, with the flood wave on the Sava River expected to arrive later on Saturday.

BELGRADE/BARIC - Evacuation of citizens from the Baric settlement in the vicinity of the Belgrade municipality of Obrenovac began on Saturday some time around 1 p.m. after the area was hit by severe floods two days ago.

Thousands of rescuers in boats and police and army in helicopters are trying to prevent further damage in the town of Obrenovac, south of Belgrade, after the Kolubara river burst its banks and flooded 90 per cent of the town.

The Interior Ministry said more than 4,000 people had been evacuated already from Obrenovac, and more requests for evacuation are coming.

OBRENOVAC - Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic on Friday visited the Belgrade municipality of Obrenovac, the hardest hit by the floods in Serbia.

"The situation is catastrophic and the entire town will have to be evacuated," Vucic said after inspecting the situation from a boat. Obrenovac was flooded at dawn after embankments caved in.

BELGRADE - Representatives of employers and trade unions backed at Friday's session of the Social-Economic Council the measures of Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic's government aimed at getting the country out of the economic crisis.

It was agreed that Vucic be appointed to the Council, replacing Minister of State Administration and Local Self-Government Kori Udovicki.

BELGRADE - The situation with floods in the Belgrade area is the worst in the municipality of Obrenovac, because the river Kulubara flooded the centre of the city on Thursday night, so 80 percent of it is now under water.

Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic visited the Belgrade municipality of Obrenovac on Friday where he said that the whole flood-stricken town will have to be evacuated.

"The situation is catastrophic and will get worse. Obviously the whole town will have to be evacuated," Vucic said.

"This hell will last for the next three months," he added.

Thousands evacuated, water and landslides damage homes

BELGRADE -- So far 6,175 people have been evacuated from their homes in Serbia as rivers burst their banks in several areas of the country after two days of heavy rains.

OBRENOVAC - Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic said on Thursday that the authorities would do all they can to save every human life which is top priority at this point, while the damage and repairs would be discussed only once the natural disaster is over.