Situation in the flooded areas in Serbia is somewhat better, but the state of emergency will not end soon as the greatest danger now is the Sava River, said Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic on Sunday.
Speaking at a session of the Staff for Emergency Situations of the Serbian government, Vucic warned that another wave of floods will hit Serbia by Wednesday, May 21.
"The only great danger now is the Sava River which we have to control as much as possible," he said.
Vucic announced that measures of defence will be implemented against upcoming water of the Sava River that flows through Belgrade from the East and meets Danube in the Serbian capital.
The Serbian PM said floods in Serbia happen "once in a millennia", and that he hopes the "excellent reaction of authorities will prevent material damages and victims."
A state of emergency was declared on Thursday. According to the official data 24,352 person were evacuated, 2, 260 objects are flooded while 1,763 objects are in danger. Five people lost their lives, while one is missing.
Vucic confirmed that in the flood-stricken Obrenovac, 30 kilometers Southeast of Belgrade, bodies of two people were found, but those are only official casualties for now in that town. The data from the most hardly hit area called Belo Polje are yet not known.
Vucic thanked all those countries volunteered to help strengthen embankments on Sava River near cities of Sabac and Sremska Mitrovica.
He warned that in Sabac, water is one meter higher than its historical maximum and its shores can take only up to 20 cm more, after which it will be hard to defend.
Vucic said the cost of repair of the damages that flood inflicted will be dramatically high, adding that the costs to recover the flooded coal mine "Kolubara" will be at least 100 million euro (137 billion U.S. dollars).
He announced that after the floods soil will have to be disinfected, while flooded objects should be protected from potential burglars.
On Monday, Vucic will meet ministers in charge of economy, finance, infrastructure and local self-government to discuss damages inflicted by floods.
