Karlovac and Hrvatska Kostajnica face threat of flooding

Heavy rains has caused rivers in many parts of the country to rise rapidly, triggering emergency measures in Karlovac and Hrvatska Kostajnica.

Local authorities in Karlovac have declared a state of emergency along the Korana River, while the Kupa and the Mrežnica are also high but not posing a threat at this time. Several homes were flooded in Duga Resa.

The measures that have been put into place in these areas, like the box barriers that are supposed to hold the water back from roads and homes appear to be working.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković on Tuesday commented on the threat of flooding during a visit to Veliko Trgovišće. He said he was in contact with Environment and Energy Minister Tomislav Ćorić and Interior Minister Davor Božinović, as well as with the head of Karlovac County, Damir Jelić.

"As I understand, based on the information from the ground, the situation in Karlovac seems to be under control. The focus now is on Hrvatska Kostajnica," the prime minister said.

Plenković announced that Minister Ćorić would visit Hrvatska Kostajnica in the afternoon to inspect the situation. He said that the experience with previous floods, the laws and technical measures that have been adopted and the investments undertaken in that regard already made a difference compared to last year.

Emergency measures are in effect in Hrvatska Kostajnica, about 90 km southeast of Zagreb where the water level of the Una River has reached 445 centimetres and is expected to reach 500 cm, 37 cm below the maximum recorded in 1955.

Source: HINA, HRT