Situation Update
• Continuous rainfall starting on 13 May caused severe flooding in parts of Serbia, Bosnia- Herzegovina and Croatia. Serbia declared a state of emergency on 15 May and requested international assistance on 16 May, while Bosnia- Herzegovina requested support on 17 May. In Croatia, the government expressed confidence that it could manage its immediate humanitarian needs.
• Homes, schools, roads, bridges, farms and other infrastructure and assets have been destroyed by the floods and related landslides.
• More than 3 million people live in the flood- affected area. More than 30,000 people have been evacuated in Serbia and 40,000 in Bosnia- Herzegovina.
• An added peril in Bosnia-Herzegovina is the threat from landmines left over from the 1992-95 war that have been dislodged by the torrents of water and landslides. Warning signs and markers have also washed away.
• The Government of Serbia revoked its state of emergency declaration on 23 May except in two cities and 17 municipalities.
• The UN RC in Bosnia- Herzegovina said efforts would shift from relief to recovery as of 26 May.
Highlights
• WFP was the first UN agency to deliver supplies in response to the flood crisis. Within 36 hours of receiving the request for assistance, WFP delivered life- saving equipment to Belgrade, Serbia, in a response coordinated by WFP’s Cairo Regional Bureau (OMC RB).
• OMC RB coordinated response operations and established direct communication and coordination channels with UN Resident Coordinator offices in both Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
• WFP Programme, Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping (VAM) and Logistics capacities have been deployed to support the responses in Serbia and Bosnia- Herzegovina.