Serbia: Flood June 2023 - DREF Operation (MDRRS015)

What happened, where and when?

On 16 June, following two weeks of heavy rain in the Republic of Serbia, the city of Belgrade, several regions (Branicevski, Jablanicki, Macvanski, Moravicki, Nisavski, Pirotski, Pomoravski, Rasinski, Raski, Sumadijski, Toplicki, Zlatiborski), as well as the municipality of Vucitrn and the region of Metohija in Kosovo have been severely affected by flash floods and floods.

The downpours have started between 4 - 6 June, affecting 10 municipalities (Loznica, Sabac, Babusnica, Aleksinac, Grocka, Aleksandrovac, Kursumlija, Cacak, Brus, and Vrnjacka Banja). Precipitation levels in these areas reached 10 - 40 litres per square metre in just three hours, resulting in flash floods and floods. Several local streams and rivers, including Dumaca and Dobrava, Mozgovacka River, Rasina, Bresnica, Bukovac, Zutaja, Vrnjacka, Lipovacka, and Rsovacka, overflowed, flooding agricultural fields and roads.

Subsequently, between 12 - 16 June, torrential rainfalls persisted, forcing an additional 36 municipalities and cities to declare a state of emergency due to the escalating floods and flash floods. These areas included Ivanjica, Svilajnac, Paraćin, Ćuprija, Kučevo, Lazarevac, Novi Pazar, Despotovac, Lebane, Koceljeva, Varvarin, Zitoradja, Ćićevac, Jagodina, Kragujevac, Vucitrn, Lucani, Krusevac, Mladenovac, Rekovac, Vladimirci, Blace, Požega, Kraljevo, Priboj, Doljevac, Medvedja, Arilje, Vladicin Han, Kosjeric, Arandjelovac, Sokobanja, Sjenica, Boljevac, Prokuplje, and Trstenik.

Throughout this period, the heavy rainfall persisted in various parts of the Republic of Serbia, with intensities ranging from 30 to 80 litres per square meter within a 12-hour timeframe.

Scope and Scale

Heavy rainfalls and floods affected more than 56 municipalities and cities, causing landslides in some municipalities, while severely damaging essential infrastructure, such as roads and bridges, agricultural land, as well as people's homes. Affected households faced substantial damage to residential properties, essential infrastructure required for daily activities, and livelihoods of the local population. Households in rural areas and villages have particularly suffered extensive damage to agricultural lands.

According to the assessment of the Red Cross branches, more than 15,432 people are affected (5,144 households). The most affected households are in:

• Pomoravski district (municipalities: Svilajnac, Paracin, Cuprija, Despotovac, Jagodina, Rekovac) - 2,276 households;

• Macvanski district (municipalities: Koceljeva, Loznica, Vladimirci, Sabac) - 258 households;

• Pirotski district (municipality Babusnica) - 270 households;

• Toplicki district (municipalities: Kursumlija, Zitoradja, Blace, Prokuplje) - 196 households;

• Moravicki district (municipalities: Ivanjica, Lucani, Cacak) - 35 households;

• Nisavski district (municipalities: Aleksinac, Doljevac) - 78 households;

• Rasinski district (municipalities: Krusevac, Aleksandrovac, Brus, Trstenik, Varvarin, Ćićevac) - 250 households;

• Branicevski district (municipalities: Kucevo) - 20 households;

• city of Belgrade (municipalities: Lazarevac, Grocka) - 66 households;

• Raski district (municipalities: Novi Pazar, Kraljevo) - 235 households;

• Sumadijski district (municipalities: Kragujevac, Arandjelovac) - 115 households;

• Kosovsko Mitrovacki district (municipality: Vucitrn) - 12 households;

• Zlatiborski district (municipality: Pozega, Priboj, Arilje, Kosjeric, Sjenica) - 48 households;

• Pcinjski district (municipality: Vladicin Han) - 14 households;

• Zajecarski district (municipality: Boljevac, Sokobanja) - 531 households.

The assessment conducted by the Red Cross and emergency headquarters confirmed that the floods and landslides caused destruction in more than 1,700 households, damaging living spaces, essential items, food supplies, equipment, furniture, and other personal belongings.

The most vulnerable people in the country are living in the rural parts of municipalities and villages, which have been the mostly affected areas by the floods. More than 2,000 hectares of agricultural land has been flooded in Sabac Koceljeva only. While people in the rural areas work in the centre of municipalities, they also have their agricultural land, which significantly contributes to their living. Damages caused to wheat, barley, as well as orchards have been extensive, further challenging the everyday livelihoods of the most vulnerable people. In average, 21.2% of the population in Serbia lives at risk of poverty; in the central and southern parts of Serbia, the poverty rate of the population is 30%. People affected are experiencing significant financial distress or hardship, as their already limited means or resources have been destroyed The most affected households are composed of at least one older person (50%); children, people with disabilities or chronic diseases (30%); or are single-parent families (4%). The risk of the spread of infections and diseases caused by the floods is also high, further increasing the vulnerability of the affected population.

The Red Cross of Serbia has been responding to the needs in all affected municipalities from the onset of the crisis, providing essential assistance to people who have been directly affected by the floods and landslides. In addition, 317 people who were at risk of further flooding and landslides are currently being evacuated and transferred to their families, neighbours, or temporary shelters run by local Red Cross branches and local emergency headquarters.