Rescue teams from Bosnia's neighbors and European Union countries have joined efforts to clear the rubble and find people still missing from floods and landslides that devastated parts of the Balkan country. The heavy rainstorm overnight on Friday left entire areas under water and debris, destroying roads and bridges, resulting in at least 18 fatalities and dozens of injuries.
Officials have reported that at least 10 individuals remain unaccounted for, with many of them believed to be in the village of Donja Jablanica in southern Bosnia. The village was nearly entirely buried in rocks and rubble from a quarry on a hill above, with residents witnessing houses disappearing before their eyes.
The EU has pledged its support to Bosnia, with rescue teams arriving to assist in the ongoing efforts. Bosnia, a candidate country for EU membership, has received aid from neighboring countries such as Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Czechia, and Turkey.
Despite the flooding crisis, Bosnia was scheduled to hold local elections on Sunday. However, voting in the flood-affected regions has been postponed, with the flooding situation casting a shadow over the entire country's election process.
The flooding events have deeply affected residents, with one individual from Sarajevo expressing the overwhelming impact of the disaster on the community. Bosnia, a country still grappling with the aftermath of the 1992-95 war, faces challenges of political discord and corruption, hindering its progress towards EU membership.
