Croatia Struggles with Floods after Heavy Rains

As many as two-thirds of 21 Croatian counties are struggling with flooding, with the worst occurring in central Croatia

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ZAGREB (Reuters) - As many as two-thirds of 21 Croatian counties are struggling with flooding, with the worst occurring in central Croatia, the national rescue agency DUZS said on Sunday.

Heavy rain has been falling since Wednesday, causing rivers to rise, closing roads and threatening houses and factories. No deaths or injuries have been reported so far.

The biggest threat is in flooded areas around the central towns of Sisak, Hrvatska Kostajnica and Karlovac. Several villages have been evacuated and a state of emergency has been declared in the northern municipality of Nedelisce.


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The Croatian army has sent hundreds of troops to help local residents build the protective dams along river banks.

In the capital, Zagreb, the rising Sava river and ground water have flooded some 20 houses and nearby parked cars. Firefighters are pumping water out of the cellars.

Officials have said that the most critical situation is expected within the next 48 hours around the town of Sisak, with two major flood waves coming down the Kupa and Sava rivers.

The worst flooding since records began 120 years ago hit the Balkans in May, killing more than 40 people. Some 35,000 people in Bosnia and 25,000 in Serbia were evacuated from their homes, and many more fled on their own.

 

(Reporting by Igor Ilic; Editing by Larry King)

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