Solak: Landslides cannot be resolved overnight, but people need help

Landslides cannot be resolved overnight, nor is there a model for how to do it, said Fahrudin Solak, acting director of the Federal Civil Protection Administration, for the Bosnian news agency Patria (NAP).

- In Željezno Polje, the landslide is an entire mountain. The remediation might be more expensive than building new houses. We should leave landslides to the experts to say what can be done. The situation is difficult, people have huge estates, fields of raspberries and other fruits. They do not want to live anywhere else, they have invested so much in their properties, agriculture, they need to be helped, and the question is what can be done – says Solak.

He emphasized that in the first days, while the evacuation of the population from the areas affected by landslides and floods was ongoing, the residents of Željezo Polje asked for the road to be made accessible.

- We did that. Together with our partners, Autoceste FBiH, we made the road accessible. It is certain that people need help, but it takes time. Compared to the flooded areas, the situation in the areas affected by landslides, in Sapna, Kalesija, Čelić, Tuzla, is much more difficult. Teams are on the ground and they will assess what needs to be done – said Solak.

The Federal Civil Protection Administration is currently preparing activities for deratization and disinsection starting next week, as disinfection has been completed, and local communities, as well as municipal and cantonal commissions for damage assessment, are on the ground.

- Mosquitoes and various other insects have appeared. Activities are being undertaken in the valleys of the rivers Bosna, Spreča, Tinja, Usora, Krivaja, i.e., the flooded areas. Water remained after the retreat, especially in Posavina, and insects appeared. We will do this with colleagues from the Institute of Public Health of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. They are carrying out aerial treatment, and we will use machines from the ground – states Solak.

The FUCZ has begun preparations for the upcoming fire season, and high temperatures are conducive to forest fires.

- On Tuesday, members of the FUCZ have a major exercise on Bjelašnica on extinguishing forest fires – said Solak.