What's the weather where you are?

[Dirgni]

The flood was in the German News. The pictures and stories in TV were too familiar and they mentioned 30 deaths. International help is on the way. They told that this is the most severe flood in this region since since weather record began 120 years ago.

Another source:

www.br.de/nachrichten/meldungen/nachrichten-bayerischer-rundfunk100.html
Balkan-Fluten treffen Hunderttausende - über 20 Menschen sterben (Stand: 17.05.2014 22:00)
Belgrad: Bei dem Jahrhunderhochwasser auf dem Balkan sind mindestens 20 Menschen ums Leben gekommen. Die Behörden in Serbien und Bosnien-Herzegowina befürchten jedoch weitere Opfer. In Bussen, Booten und Hubschraubern wurden Zehntausende Menschen in Sicherheit gebracht. In Serbien wird morgen Abend eine neue Flutwelle erwartet. Das größte Kraftwerk des Landes ist in Gefahr. Meteorologen zufolge ist dieses Hochwasser das schlimmste seit Beginn der Wetteraufzeichnungen vor 120 Jahren. Innerhalb von drei Tagen sei so viel Niederschlag gefallen wie sonst in drei Monaten. Luftaufnahmen zeigten, dass rund ein Drittel Bosniens derzeit einem See gleicht. Zudem wurden rund 300 Erdrutsche gezählt, Dutzende Häuser und Autos wurden verschüttet. Sowohl Serbien als auch Bosnien hatten gestern um internationale Unterstützung gebeten.

Balkan floods hit hundred thausends - more than 20 persons died (my translation)
Beograd: At least 20 persons died in the century flood in the Balkans. The authorties in Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina fear further victims. Ten thousends of people were evacuated. Serbia is waiting for a new flood wave tomorrow evening. The largest power station of the country is in danger. According to meteorologists this is the worst high water since weather record began 120 years ago. Within three days there was as much rainfall as usually in three months. Aerial view show that about one third of Bosnia is like a lake. About 300 landslides were counted, dozends of houses and cars were buried. Both Serbia and Bosnia asked for international aid yesterday.

The rain is moving north...
Good luck to all affected by this - especially you Meri, Avala and Persej.

 

[Mayb]

No mention on cnn and bbc ...why should be we have no gas, no diamonds, no petrol...

 

[Persej]

No mention on cnn and bbc ...why should be we have no gas, no diamonds, no petrol...

Even Djokovic commented that:

Djokovic criticizes CNN, BBC: Why are you not covering flooding in Serbia?

The best Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic has criticized the BBC, CNN and other foreign media because, as he said, they are not covering flooding in Serbia sufficiently. “There is a flood of biblical proportions. That’s why I feel the need to point it out wherever and whenever possible, because major international media such as CNN and BBC are under-reporting of what is happening in Serbia and Bosnia. This is one of the worst floods ever seen, many cities were evacuated, half of the country may not have electricity. It has to be shown to the world, we need help,” said Djokovic.

_inserbia.info/today/2014/05/djokovic-criticizes-cnn-bbc-why-you-are-not-covering-flooding-in-serbia

But I would add: how can BBC and CNN report about real situation when our own government is suppressing information?!
I wonder if same thing happened in Poland in 1997?

 

[Argo]

I personally talked with two policemen, and one gendarme, who are my relatives, and one friend who is volunteer, and all of them now in town of Obrenovac, situation is much worse than you see on tv. They said that it was good for two days, they was managing evacuation and water slowly but successfully. Then Serbian idiot politician Aleksandar Vucic, who is at the moment in the role of "Prime minister" take in situation "in his hands" and started to "manage it himself". As they said it all went down, idiot sent them hundreds of volunteers which are useless because they don't know what to do, no one give them any tool or even food, mechanisation is on wrong places, all organization is very bad. Unfortunately victim rate increased, in their words: "dead animals and people corpses are now floating around us", they estimate that victim numbers is going up to tens, not 4-5 as TV says. Also almost all we see on tv is just a charade and political marketing.

My partner's nephew went as a volunteer in the city of Šabac, and he says that he waited almost for 10 hours for somebody from authorities to tell them what to do and where.

Situation here is really very very bad!! I was without electricity for two days. Yesterday I was in a nearby town of Smederevo, and almost everything is flooded along the road, and these are the places that have never had problems with floods. I just can't describe what it was like where I live. It had rained continuously for four days, but it was not just ordinary rain, it's like a shower that didn't want to stop. Fortunately, the place where I live is in the hills and we have no flooding, but we have almost 30cm of mud now.

 

[Nević Nenad]

I personally talked with two policemen, and one gendarme, who are my relatives, and one friend who is volunteer, and all of them now in town of Obrenovac, situation is much worse than you see on tv. They said that it was good for two days, they was managing evacuation and water slowly but successfully. Then Serbian idiot politician Aleksandar Vucic, who is at the moment in the role of "Prime minister" take in situation "in his hands" and started to "manage it himself". As they said it all went down, idiot sent them hundreds of volunteers which are useless because they don't know what to do, no one give them any tool or even food, mechanisation is on wrong places, all organization is very bad. Unfortunately victim rate increased, in their words: "dead animals and people corpses are now floating around us", they estimate that victim numbers is going up to tens, not 4-5 as TV says. Also almost all we see on tv is just a charade and political marketing.

My partner's nephew went as a volunteer in the city of Šabac, and he says that he waited almost for 10 hours for somebody from authorities to tell them what to do and where.

Situation here is really very very bad!! I was without electricity for two days. Yesterday I was in a nearby town of Smederevo, and almost everything is flooded along the road, and these are the places that have never had problems with floods. I just can't describe what it was like where I live. It had rained continuously for four days, but it was not just ordinary rain, it's like a shower that didn't want to stop. Fortunately, the place where I live is in the hills and we have no flooding, but we have almost 30cm of mud now.

Thats not all. Police guys told that some couple of hundreds of them was withdrawn from the field to Belgrade to secure gay pride parade (EU wants it to be held!), but they are not still certain of that. Total hilarious disaster.

BTW, you could turn that mobile phone of yours ON from time to time, or leave a mesage on facebook when have a signal. We are caling you for two days (phone just ringing and ringing), we knew you two are alive, but we asumed that you are in the swamp by now, since road was unusable since thursday. I see that the first thing is to check on SOTT and the forum ;D

 

[monotonic]

Total hilarious disaster.

First it was "not that bad", and now it's "hilarious"?

 

[Mayb]

Beside the politicians self advertisement and the questions who is guilty and for what , we can see the humainty all around us , from oridinary people. When you go t o shelter for example and bring them food or sanitary they say no we don't need it we are full please deliver it to other places where is more needed. And its really like that wherever you turn the head people organize in some way. They give their boats for rescuing , apartments for people with kids , shelter for animals. Twitter users share infirmations about the persons share informations about remain people in houses under water , forward instructions orgnanise volonteers for defeding the electric poverplant . Informing who increase the prices of food so that can be proceed... Volonteers not missing wherever they needed . Young boys even kids helping making defence . Girls in selters taking care of babies, kids old people . Taxi services do not charge transportation ketering services supply free food for people making defence on rivers.
There is a problems with organization here and there but he feedback from everybody and willing to help surprised us all . We surprised ourselves ..

 

[Nević Nenad]

Total hilarious disaster.

First it was "not that bad", and now it's "hilarious"?

Were you able to catch of which we were writing? Also mine whole post and not just a part that was interesting to you?

If hundreds of skilled people are moved from the field where they are needed, and where their help means a great lot, to protect some parade, in this moment, all that you can say is: hilarious.

"Not that bad" and "it always could be worse" was regarding the mass media induced panic, and it was for Persej, who looked like he had overly emotional reaction on it (on media coverage. And that was my impression), which is normal, but not needed (again, MY impression). I stand firmly by that words. Hollywood style pathetic leads nowhere.

If you wrote that in case that you don't see me as some nice guy, and I have impression that is the reason why you felt the need to write something, well, there it is, that is up to you. But be aware that I'm here, well aware of the situation and serious enough about it. (just not pathetic)

Beside the politicians self advertisement and the questions who is guilty and for what , we can see the humainty all around us , from oridinary people. When you go t o shelter for example and bring them food or sanitary they say no we don't need it we are full please deliver it to other places where is more needed. And its really like that wherever you turn the head people organize in some way. They give their boats for rescuing , apartments for people with kids , shelter for animals. Twitter users share infirmations about the persons share informations about remain people in houses under water , forward instructions orgnanise volonteers for defeding the electric poverplant . Informing who increase the prices of food so that can be proceed... Volonteers not missing wherever they needed . Young boys even kids helping making defence . Girls in selters taking care of babies, kids old people . Taxi services do not charge transportation ketering services supply free food for people making defence on rivers.
There is a problems with organization here and there but he feedback from everybody and willing to help surprised us all . We surprised ourselves ..

True, seems that it is better without the "official" organization :) If there was this organic organization (to name it like that :) ) from the beginning, maybe there would be less damage.

 

[SeekinTruth]

I saw some coverage in local Armenian media yesterday showing the devastation in Serbia - some areas had 3 and 4 meters of water - so somebody has been getting good footage of the disaster, even if certain countries' media is deciding to not show the full extent of this flood.

 

[Argo]

I personally talked with two policemen, and one gendarme, who are my relatives, and one friend who is volunteer, and all of them now in town of Obrenovac, situation is much worse than you see on tv. They said that it was good for two days, they was managing evacuation and water slowly but successfully. Then Serbian idiot politician Aleksandar Vucic, who is at the moment in the role of "Prime minister" take in situation "in his hands" and started to "manage it himself". As they said it all went down, idiot sent them hundreds of volunteers which are useless because they don't know what to do, no one give them any tool or even food, mechanisation is on wrong places, all organization is very bad. Unfortunately victim rate increased, in their words: "dead animals and people corpses are now floating around us", they estimate that victim numbers is going up to tens, not 4-5 as TV says. Also almost all we see on tv is just a charade and political marketing.

My partner's nephew went as a volunteer in the city of Šabac, and he says that he waited almost for 10 hours for somebody from authorities to tell them what to do and where.

Situation here is really very very bad!! I was without electricity for two days. Yesterday I was in a nearby town of Smederevo, and almost everything is flooded along the road, and these are the places that have never had problems with floods. I just can't describe what it was like where I live. It had rained continuously for four days, but it was not just ordinary rain, it's like a shower that didn't want to stop. Fortunately, the place where I live is in the hills and we have no flooding, but we have almost 30cm of mud now.

Thats not all. Police guys told that some couple of hundreds of them was withdrawn from the field to Belgrade to secure gay pride parade (EU wants it to be held!), but they are not still certain of that. Total hilarious disaster.

BTW, you could turn that mobile phone of yours ON from time to time, or leave a mesage on facebook when have a signal. We are caling you for two days (phone just ringing and ringing), we knew you two are alive, but we asumed that you are in the swamp by now, since road was unusable since thursday. I see that the first thing is to check on SOTT and the forum ;D

Yes, the first thing is to check on SOTT and the forum. :D I was without electricity and the phone was dead also, but I managed to call our mother. Actually, there is a small swamp which was formed some 50m away from my house.

 

[Persej]

Some old ones:

Obrenovac: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-bBt2TmkjQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR_x83tyb8o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewIyvHwaYAw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPGGz0Qm4FQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aT_g0F_AO6w

Kraljevo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6PL_M2R-Zg

Valjevo and Ljig: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXMslV26aH0

And new:

Obrenovac today: http://www.webtv.rs/play/67598/blic-u-patroli-kamionom-kroz-poplavljeni-obrenovac

Bosnia today: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aP4VW0_MmEk

 

[Persej]

There is a problems with organization here and there but he feedback from everybody and willing to help surprised us all . We surprised ourselves ..

Yes. It reminded us on time during the NATO bombing in 1999. I guess disasters like this can unite the good people.

Another video from Obrenovac. This one was made by amateur. You can see on the buildings that water level was half meter bigger that when this video was made: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO46-WKkE08#t=18

And photo of Smederevska Palanka, town that we didn't hear much about in media: https://twitter.com/SavaJanjic/status/467804320541724674/photo/1

 

[Gwenllian]

Beside the politicians self advertisement and the questions who is guilty and for what , we can see the humainty all around us , from oridinary people. When you go t o shelter for example and bring them food or sanitary they say no we don't need it we are full please deliver it to other places where is more needed. And its really like that wherever you turn the head people organize in some way. They give their boats for rescuing , apartments for people with kids , shelter for animals. Twitter users share infirmations about the persons share informations about remain people in houses under water , forward instructions orgnanise volonteers for defeding the electric poverplant . Informing who increase the prices of food so that can be proceed... Volonteers not missing wherever they needed . Young boys even kids helping making defence . Girls in selters taking care of babies, kids old people . Taxi services do not charge transportation ketering services supply free food for people making defence on rivers.
There is a problems with organization here and there but he feedback from everybody and willing to help surprised us all . We surprised ourselves ..

That is very inspiring and beautiful, thanks for sharing Meri. :)

"Not that bad" and "it always could be worse" was regarding the mass media induced panic, and it was for Persej, who looked like he had overly emotional reaction on it (on media coverage. And that was my impression), which is normal, but not needed (again, MY impression). I stand firmly by that words. Hollywood style pathetic leads nowhere.

Maybe it's me, but I didn't think Persej was in a state of panic, shocked maybe, as I would be. Whose Hollywood style were you talking about BTW? Were you still talking about the media or Persej?

 

[Persej]

I found this story from a man who escaped from Obrenovac that describes how fast the flood came and why so many people possibly died.

Night before last I was following the news and it was told that Šljivice, the lowest part of the city where I don't live need to be evacuated within 8 hours. Around 1 am with my son I visited a nearby canal and saw that water is at 1.5 m height from the edge of my street, which was not alarming. We fell asleep. About 5 am howling dogs in the neighborhood woke me up and when I looked out the window I saw a yard full of water. I woke up the kids, got dressed (3.5 min) and when I went outside I saw a car that is in half a meter of water.

Now, I do have a rubber boat, tent, sleeping bags, bows and arrows... I hurried up in the garage for the boat, when there was meter of water. I pulled the boat and when I returned to the front door (3.5 min) I saw that water rose another 30 cm and was entering the house. I understood that I don't have 15 minutes to blow inflatable (which was scheduled for that day for flood relief for others) and through the flood we fled out of the yard.

_https://www.facebook.com/milovanovic.kosta/posts/10203726879110451

Then he describes how he escaped to the house of his godfather that lives in the upper part of the town. So in the end we can say that dogs saved him!

I think there are some very important lessons to be learned for all of us for the situations like this. First, 10 minutes is too long! You need to be ready to escape in much less than that. Second, you always must have somebody on guard. And third, you must know exactly where to run in every specific case. And have alternative routes if necessary.

 

[Mayb]

Yes my cousin had same situation in 2010 in Bosnia flood . She said she walk up in nigh, sit in bed and felt that her feets are in water. At the moment she stand up .water was already above her knees. She hat time to run to the upper floor and after couple of hours she figured out she do not have clean water with her. She told me then since then she always have the bottle of water next to her bed..