Serbia Declares Days of Mourning For Victims

Serbia's government on Tuesday declared Wednesday, Thursday and Friday as days of mourning after severe floods claimed 20 lives and caused mass evacuations.

Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said that many people had perished in the floods, and that once the waters recede, the number will "certainly be even higher".

He told the cabinet that at least 14 people had died in the town of Obrenovac, south of Belgrade, raising the total number of victims to 21.

The autopsy of the recovered bodies is ongoing and the results will be made public at a later stage.

The Prime Minister said the state of emergency declared across the country last Thursday could end this Friday.

So far, a total of 30,873 people have been evacuated from the flood-affected areas, the most difficult situation being in Obrenovac, Krupanj, Sremska Raca and Jamena.

On Tuesday, the water began going down.

Better weather and the fact the river levels are now receding has improved the state of roads in the country.

The Automobile and Motorcycle Association of Serbia on Tuesday warned the receding water had left layers of mud on many roads, adding that some were badly damaged, which was slowing traffic.

The border crossings at Sremska Raca, Badovinci and Mali Zvornik between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia remain closed to vehicles, while the waiting time at other crossings is up to 30 minutes.

Vucic said the economic consequence of the floods would be worth more than 0.64 per cent of GDP, which is the threshold for applying for assistance from the European Union Solidarity Fund.

Ministers dealing with European integration and in finance and economics are due to prepare additional documentation in order apply for these...