State of natural disaster declared in FBiH

The Government of the Federation of BiH today, at a telephone-held session, adopted the Decision on declaring a state of natural and other disaster in the territory of the Federation of BiH due to heavy rainfall that caused rivers and torrents to overflow their banks, causing flooding of a large number of infrastructure facilities, residential buildings, and agricultural and other land in the territory of the Federation of BiH, it was announced from the Government of FBiH, reports the BiH news agency Patria.

For the protection and rescue of people and material goods in the endangered area, the Government has determined that all federal ministries, administrations and administrative organizations, legal entities and other institutions shall be placed at the disposal of the Federal Civil Protection Staff (FŠCZ), and that competent cantonal and municipal/city civil protection staffs shall also place all available resources at the disposal, which, according to the protection and rescue plans for people and material goods, will be used in the endangered areas.

According to the Protection and Rescue Plan from Natural and Other Disasters in the Federation of BiH, passive duty will be immediately introduced for the execution of FŠCZ orders.

The Federal Civil Protection Staff is tasked with activating the relevant federal protection and rescue services and federal specialized civil protection units, and if necessary, other legal entities, public enterprises and citizens for the purpose of providing assistance in the endangered area.

If necessary, and upon the request of the competent civil protection staffs from the endangered area, the Federal Civil Protection Staff will, in accordance with its authorities, engage other protection and rescue forces from the areas of other cantons and municipalities/cities that are not endangered by this disaster to provide assistance to the endangered areas.

The Government of FBiH has tasked FŠCZ to, in accordance with the Federal Plan and valid legal regulations, undertake all activities related to the coordination and management of protection and rescue operations for people and material goods in the endangered area.

When all resources of municipalities/cities, cantons and the Federation of BiH are assessed, and based on the assessment of the situation in the endangered area, contacts shall be made, in accordance with operational procedures, with the Ministry of Security of BiH to request assistance from the Armed Forces of BiH, and international assistance.

The Federal Government has obliged all heads of administrative bodies and administrative organizations of FBiH and cantons, i.e., municipal/city administration services and legal entities and other institutions, to ensure the implementation of the orders of the competent civil protection staffs (by providing assistance and support in logistical and communal needs, evacuation, accommodation of endangered population and material goods, supply of population with food, hygiene items, and medical care for injured and sick residents).

The Decision on declaring a state of natural and other disaster in the territory of the Federation of BiH tasks competent authorities in municipalities/cities and cantons to, in accordance with the Decree on a unified methodology for assessing damages from natural and other disasters, activate their commissions for damage assessment to perform the tasks defined by the Decree, it was announced, reports Patria.