Rescue teams from Bosnia’s neighbors and European Union countries joined efforts on Sunday to clear debris and search for people still missing from the floods and landslides that devastated parts of the Balkan nation. Bosnia requested EU assistance after a severe rainstorm on Friday night left entire areas underwater and debris destroyed roads and bridges, resulting in at least 18 deaths and injuries to dozens more.
Officials stated that at least 10 people remain missing, many of them in the village of Jabllanicë e Ulët in southern Bosnia, which was nearly buried under rocks and debris from a quarry on a hillside, according to Associated Press reports.
Residents there reported hearing a loud rumble and witnessing homes disappearing before their eyes.
Luigi Soreca, head of the EU mission in Bosnia, stated on X that the EU stands with Bosnia and that teams are coming to help. Bosnia is a candidate country for membership in the 27-member bloc.
Authorities said Croatian rescuers have already arrived, while a team from Serbia is expected to arrive in the afternoon, followed by a Slovenian team with dogs. Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Turkey have also offered assistance, according to a government statement.
Sunday is also the date of local elections in Bosnia. Election authorities have postponed voting in the flood-affected regions, but the floods have overshadowed the voting process across the country.
