Location: Belgrade, Serbia
Report made by: International Cooperation of the Sector for Emergency Management, Ministry of Interior, Republic of Serbia Event: Emergency Situation in Serbia due to heavy snowfalls and extreme cold
Occurrence: Date: 05/02/2012
Situation Report, No.14
Following the proposal of the National Emergency Management HQ on 5 February 2012, the Government of the Republic of Serbia declared the Emergency Situation on the whole territory of the state due to heavy snowfalls and extreme cold. All protection and rescue activities, and preventive measures, are coordinated and managed by the National Emergency Management HQ, presided by the Minister of Interior.
The latest report indicates 22 people dead due to extreme cold and 305 rescued. Approximately 12.646 households and 37,241 people are affected. Approximately 920 households with approximately 2,400 people are completely cut-off in the distant mountain villages and they can be reached only by helicopters. Rescue and evacuation operations are conducted and assistance is being provided to people who are in urgent need of medical assistance, food supplies etc. The most affected population is in the municipalities of Sjenica, Nova Varos, Kraljevo, Novi Pazar, Valjevo, Osecina, Ivanjica, Prokuplje, Kursumlija, Zagubica. Only local and uncategorised roads in distant mountain regions are not passable (approximately 5,000 km).
The last session of the National Emergency Management HQ was held on 18 February. The members of the National HQ discussed the efficiency of the actions taken since the emergency situation on the state level was declared, as well as the report on the current situation regarding the risk of floods due to ice cover formation on the rivers. Following the decision of the National HQ, Operational Expert Team for flood protection was established. The next session of the National Emergency Management HQ is scheduled for 22 February 2012.
In accordance with the Instruction of the Head of the National Emergency Management HQ, all emergency management HQs (local HQs, county HQs, the HQ of the autonomous province of Vojvodina and the HQ for the City of Belgrade) are in sessions. Based on the situation and needs assessment reports for their territory, the HQs have made decisions on measures and operations to be taken and engagement of the human and material resources.
Rescuers from the emergency services – fire and rescue teams, medical teams, police, mountain rescue service - are fighting to get through and reach all those in need for medical assistance and supplies, and if it is necessary, to evacuate the affected population from remote regions. Local HQs coordinate the delivery of medicines, food supplies, worm clothes, blankets etc, and rescue activities of the emergency services, Red Cross centres and Centres for social work. Distribution of food from the state reserves is continuing.
Local Harbour Master Offices are in constant contact with the crews of the captured ships on the river Danube due to ice cover formation that suspended river traffic. They are being provided with necessary food and supplies.
Schools and universities started working on 20 February 2012. Heavy mechanizations from public companies are still engaged and the additional mechanizations are approved and deployed. Serbian Army with their heavy mechanizations is deployed on cleaning the roads.
Serbian Government has allocated the financial assistance from the budget for the affected municipalities, as well as fuel for the machines and specialised vehicles.
Serbian private companies also donated fuel for the affected municipalities, and citizens put themselves and their equipment at disposal for the rescue operations.
Due to low temperatures last few days, melting of the ice on the Danube river surface is slow. Serbian Icebreaker is ready and prepared and stationed in the municipality of Golubac. According to our information, Romanian icebreaker is also prepared and on a standby that icebreaker downstream from the “Djerdap” dam. Furthermore, there are 31 drainage pumping stations in the coastal part of the “Djerdap” Hydropower, and they are ready and operational. Due to the information that the elevation of the lake is on its minimum, the dams of the “Djerdap” Hydropower are ready to cope with the potential flood wave.
The capacities of the Republic of Serbia have been sufficient to deal with the situation and there is no need for international assistance.