Heavy snowfall in western Serbia has triggered flooding of rivers and widespread power outages across the region.
A seven-day flood control emergency was imposed in the city of Loznica as the Drina River rose dangerously from persistent snowfall.
Officials report the Drina River's water level has begun to stabilize, though municipal and water authorities continue monitoring conditions and have ordered preventive evacuations in vulnerable areas.
Due to the region's mountainous terrain with its rugged roads, combined with fallen trees from heavy snow and strong winds, maintenance of transmission lines has been severely hampered. This has resulted in power outages lasting several days in some areas.
The power department has deployed additional crews to work on troubleshooting and repairs to restore electricity as swiftly as possible.
"Power company employees have been working nonstop. When I passed their headquarters this morning, vehicles were constantly entering and exiting the compound, as everyone was making an utmost effort to resolve the power shortage," said Natasa, a local resident.
"The weather is a little better now; the snow is melting and the streets are cleaner. It was very difficult in the previous days because the roads were frozen," said Zivorad, another resident.
Meteorologists forecast continued sleet in western Serbia in the coming days, as authorities coordinate snow removal and rescue operations to ease disruptions to daily life and transport.
Heavy snow triggers floods, power outages in western Serbia
Heavy snow triggers floods, power outages in western Serbia
