Civil Protection of Sarajevo Canton Continuously on the Ground – Situation Under Control

(Patria) - Members of the Cantonal Civil Protection Administration of Sarajevo Canton, protection and rescue services, as well as municipal services, are continuously engaged on the ground due to heavy rainfall, and are still taking all necessary measures to protect people and property.

During last night, parts of roads were flooded, and material damage to vehicles and basements of buildings was recorded. In the municipality of Vogošća, due to the flooding of a substation, there was a multi-hour interruption of electricity supply throughout the entire municipality.

During the night, an emergency situation was recorded at the Barice site in the municipality of Vogošća, caused by a blocked stream, which led to a large amount of water overflowing onto the road. The cause of these events is the combined effect of rapid snowmelt and heavy rainfall.

The Prime Minister of Sarajevo Canton, Nihad Uk, emphasized that all competent services reacted promptly and in a coordinated manner.

"I am in constant contact with the teams of the Cantonal Civil Protection Administration, firefighters, and the teams of KJKP ‘Vodovod i kanalizacija’, who intervened immediately after the problem arose and were on the ground throughout the night. The situation is under control, and remediation work is continuing. I thank all engaged services for their quick, professional, and dedicated response," stated Prime Minister Uk.

The Prime Minister also emphasized the importance of a systematic approach to flood prevention.

"Such events further confirm how important continuous and planned investments in prevention are. The Government of Sarajevo Canton, in cooperation with the Cantonal Civil Protection Administration and municipalities, is investing significant funds in arranging riverbeds and flood protection. More than 7.2 million KM has been allocated for these purposes, with the aim of permanent protection of life, property, infrastructure, and the economy, in accordance with the Cantonal Flood Defense Plan," added Prime Minister Uk.

The Director of the Cantonal Civil Protection Administration of Sarajevo Canton, Dženan Brkanić, emphasized the readiness and strengthening of the capacities of the services on the ground.

"Our services were maximally engaged from the first reports. The quick reaction and good coordination of all actors made it possible to bring the situation under control without major consequences. It is especially important to emphasize that in the past five years, the capacities of the Cantonal Civil Protection Administration have been significantly strengthened, including the hiring of 100 new firefighters, which has proven crucial in such situations," stated Brkanić.

In the last three years, more than 10 million KM has been allocated for strengthening municipal civil protection structures, equipping, preventive activities, and damage repair.

Competent services continue to monitor the situation on the ground, and citizens are urged to be cautious, follow the instructions of the protection and rescue services, and to promptly report any identified problems to the competent institutions.