The account from our team visiting two of the most affected towns in recent flooding in BiH

During the peak of flooding in Maglaj the level of water was over 2 meters all over the town. The whole town has been affected and after withdrawal of the Bosnia river, the town has remained covered with at least 30 cm (in some areas with over 50 cm) of mud, branches and debris. Some parts of the city were completely unrecognizable. The cars on the streets were flooded and remained in their places filled with mud without being able to be moved any time soon.

Primary school Maglaj

The Save the Children team had the opportunity to talk with a family who sought refuge from the floods in the attic of their family house. All they had disappeared in one night and they do not know when we will be in a position to start a normal life.

 

We visited an elementary school that was largely destroyed. Instead of students in the hallways there were large amounts of mud and chairs and benches scattered by the water out of her classroom. The furniture in the school is irretrievably lost to the education of students. Education has been suspended and probably will not be restarted until the new school year.

 

The process of cleaning the city has begun but there is an evident lack boots, rubber gloves and cleaning products. To clean a large amount of waste from the streets, apartments and houses days will be needed.

 

The main road from Maglaj to Doboj is entirety blocked due to landslides, so alternative route had to be taken. Everywhere around, there were scenes of destroyed infrastructure.

 

Doboj is probably the most damaged city by the flooding of the Bosnia river. The water level in the city centre reached between three and five meters. In the centre there is a large amount of waste that people threw out of the windows of their apartments - all the furniture and their belongings that was destroyed in the flood. An unpleasant smell has already started to spread in the city so most people who are involved in the cleaning wear protective masks. In certain parts of the city the water is still present. A large number of cars in the city centre was completely destroyed during the floods. Teaching in schools is interrupted.

Volunteers help to clean the city (Doboj) severely affected by floods. It is visible on the building where the level of water was during the floods.

 

One of the witnesses of flood with whom I spoke described his experience as the end of the world. In both of the cities, there is evident lack of hygiene items, diapers and baby food. There are no organized activities for children because they are all devoted to urgent cleaning.

 

It stopped raining, finally. The temperatures are getting higher.  But with the increase in temperature, there is a risk of infections and communicable diseases.