FBiH Government Discussed Flood Situation and Mitigation Measures

At today's session of the FBiH Government in Mostar, the Director of the Federal Civil Protection Administration, Fahrudin Solak, informed about the current situation in the flooded areas of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the measures taken so far to repair the damage. The Government tasked the Civil Protection to determine a list of endangered municipalities that will be prioritized for additional employment of experts.

Rusmir Mesihović informed the Government members that an agreement has been reached with Croatia to send two planes and a helicopter free of charge to spray insecticides over an area of 40,000 hectares.

The Government concluded today that seed material and fuel for agricultural machinery should be sent to the endangered areas to provide assistance to farmers, including returnees.

The Federal Civil Protection Headquarters proposed, and the Government adopted, several measures to be taken to eliminate the consequences caused by floods and landslides:

• The Institute for Agropedology of FBiH, in cooperation with the competent cantonal and municipal authorities and institutions, should intensify the collection, sampling, and testing of soil in the flooded areas of Tuzla, Zenica-Doboj, Posavina, Una-Sana, and Sarajevo Cantons, with the aim of taking necessary measures for the protection of the population.
• The Agromediteranski Institute Mostar and other competent institutions should regularly sample and test agricultural products in the flooded areas. After the analysis of the taken samples, regardless of whether they are positive or negative, the Federal Administration for Inspection Affairs, cantonal and municipal authorities, and the Federal Civil Protection Headquarters should be immediately notified.
• The Federal Ministry of Health, competent cantonal and municipal health authorities, should continue cleaning, disinfection, disinsection, and deratization of facilities and areas, as well as anti-epidemic disinfection in the flooded areas.
• The Institute of Public Health of FBiH, as well as cantonal institutes of public health, are tasked with continuing the coordination of necessary activities with the competent sanitary inspections and hygienic-epidemiological services of health centers in municipalities, in implementing monitoring, anti-epidemic disinfection of facilities and areas, and especially in implementing measures for the hygienic quality of drinking water from local city water supplies, as well as other supply sources.

The Federal Civil Protection Headquarters will, through the Service for Veterinary Affairs of FBiH (Veterinary Faculty Sarajevo), in coordination with the competent cantonal ministries and municipal veterinary services, intensify all necessary activities for the collection and harmless disposal of dead animals in the flooded areas, especially in Posavina Canton.

• The Federal Institute for Geology is obliged to assess landslides in the endangered areas in cooperation with the competent cantonal and municipal authorities. Cantonal administrations and municipal civil protection services should issue additional warnings to citizens in residential units in areas at risk of landslides, in order to implement necessary self-protection measures.

Cantonal governments, in cooperation with municipal mayors and civil protection administrations and municipal civil protection services, should accelerate activities on the implementation of the Law on Fire Protection and Firefighting, in the part related to the organization and equipping of professional and volunteer fire brigades, as well as continue coordination with the FUCZ.

The Commissioner of the FBiH Government, Šerif Patković, reported today on the supervision of the distribution and use of aid provided by the Federal Government for the needs of the municipalities of Zenica and Žepče, with a special emphasis on the settlement of Željezno Polje.

One of the goals to be achieved in the next few days is the restoration of road communication, which would, among other things, enable the residents of Željezno Polje to deliver their large raspberry harvest for purchase, which is very important at this moment.

According to estimates, about 250 residential buildings are endangered in Željezno Polje, of which 50-60 cannot be renovated for safe living. About 2,500 residents have moved out of this area, of whom about 500 have returned. About 3,000 residents have not left the area, according to the statement from the FBiH Government session.