Divers evacuate sick returnee by boat in Sanski Most

(Patria) - Members of the Diving Club Vir from Sanski Most evacuated a local resident from the returnee village of Jelašinovci by boat, who felt unwell and after receiving assistance at the Sanski Most Health Center was sent to the General Hospital in Prijedor.

Humanitarian aid was also delivered to the returnees living in the Palanačko and Jelašinovačko Polje area, as they are cut off from the rest of the world due to floods, Nezavisne novine reports.

The road connecting them to Lušci Palanka, which is their main communication route, is flooded in several places and cannot be used for traffic.

"We managed to reach the village and deliver the necessary aid to the residents. We transported one resident who had heart problems by boat, and he was sent to the hospital. Those people are happy when they see they are not alone. We want to tell them that we are ready to act at any time to help them," said Amir Šadić, president of the mentioned club.

According to him, large parts of this sub-Grmeč plateau have been turned into a large lake due to the enormous amount of water flowing down from the Grmeč heights.

"It looks like a large lake up there now, it's hard to describe in words. The roads between the hamlets are submerged, so it is only possible to move by boat," explains Šadić.

Residents of this sub-Grmeč village say that such situations and the accumulation of huge amounts of water have been occurring for years, and that they can be cut off for a longer period. They attribute these phenomena to climate change and excessive logging.

Otherwise, the flood situation in the area of Sanski Most is gradually stabilizing, the Sana river and its tributaries have returned to their beds, and groundwater is also receding.

"At the moment, we are working in areas where groundwater is still present, and pumps are engaged there to discharge water," stated Besim Delić, head of the Sanski Most Civil Protection.

According to him, preliminary information indicates that about 200 households were affected by the floods, but the exact number of residential buildings that water has entered is still unknown. Significant damage has been caused to road and other infrastructure, as well as agricultural land.