Date: February 18, 2012 Location: Belgrade, Serbia Report Made By

REPUBLIC OF SERBIA MINISTRY OF INTERIOR Sector for Emergency Management

Date: February 18, 2012 Location: Belgrade, Serbia

Report made by: International Cooperation of the Sector for Emergency Management, Ministry of Interior, Republic of Serbia

Event: Emergency Situation in Serbia due to heavy snowfalls and extreme cold Occurrence: Date: 05/02/2012

Situation Report, No12

Following the proposal of the National Emergency Management HQ on 5 February 2012, the Government of the Republic of Serbia declared the Emergency Situation on the whole territory of the state due to heavy snowfalls and extreme cold. All protection and rescue activities are coordinated and managed by the National Emergency Management HQ, presided by the Minister of Interior.

The latest report indicates 21 people dead due to extreme cold and 284 rescued. Approximately 1900 households and 5590 people are affected in the distant mountain villages and approach to them in urgent cases is possible only by helicopter. To other affected population can be reached by motor vehicle Rescue and evacuation operations are conducted and assistance is being provided to people who are in urgent need of medical assistance, food supplies etc. The most affected population is in the municipalities of Sjenica, Vranje, Medvedja, Crna Trava, Prijepolje, Priboj, Nova Varos, Ivanjica, Brus, Bajina Basta. There is an ongoing search for one person which is missing after being caught in an avalanche.

Rescuers from the Emergency services – Fire and Rescue teams, Medical teams, Police, Mountain Rescue Service - are fighting to get through and reach all those in need for medical assistance and supplies, and if it’s necessary, to evacuate the affected population from remote regions. Local HQs coordinate the delivery of the medicines, food supplies, worm clothes, blankets etc., and the rescue activities of the emergency services (Fire and Rescue Units, Medical assistance, Police, and Army), Red Cross centres and Centres for social work.

Most of the local and uncategorised roads in mountain regions of south and central Serbia are still covered with snow. All main and regional roads are passable. Railway traffic between Serbia and Montenegro is working regularly, after being cut off for couple of days.

The National HQ has taken the measures in accordance with the Operational Plan for Flood Protection due to ice cover, which has been formed on the parts of the following rivers: the Danube, the Sava, the Ibar, the Tisa, the Velika Morava, the Zapadna Morava, the Drina, the Timok, the Jasenica. Because of the ice cover on the rivers Danube, Sava and Tisa, river traffic is suspended in Serbia until conditions for safe navigation are met. The authorities (Water Management Directorate, MoI - Sector for Emergency Management and National Hydmet Service) are monitoring the situation while the icebreakers are on standby.

Sector for Emergency Management, Ministry of Interior, Republic of Serbia 101, Kneza Milosa Street, 11 000 Belgrade, SERBIA Phone: +38111 3614 304, +38111 3615 659, fax: +38111 3618 599 e.mail: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

REPUBLIC OF SERBIA MINISTRY OF INTERIOR Sector for Emergency Management

Local Harbour Master Offices are in constant contact with the crews of the captured ships on the Danube River due to thick ice that stopped the river traffic. They are being provided with necessary food and supplies.

In accordance with the Instruction of the Head of the National Emergency Management HQ, all Emergency Management HQs (local HQs, county HQs, the HQ of the autonomous province of Vojvodina and the HQ for the City of Belgrade) are in constant sessions. Based on the situation and needs assessment reports for their territory, the HQs have made decisions on measures and operations to be taken and engagement of the human and material resources.

After the session of the National Emergency Management HQ held on 10 of February, new distribution of food has started for 38 most affected municipalities in Serbia. Distribution of food is continued regularly. Delivery of food for wild horses and goats near Stolovi in municipality Kraljevo is completed.

It was decided that all educational institutions remain closed until 17 February (with remark that the National Day of the Republic of Serbia is celebrated on 15 and 16 February). It was also decided that 17 February will be non working day. It was also proposed for the big companies that are great consumers of electricity, to close the premises during next week in order to minimise the consumption of electricity.

Heavy mechanization from public companies is still engaged and the additional mechanization is approved and deployed to the affected areas. Serbian Army with their heavy mechanization is also deployed.

Serbian Government has allocated the financial assistance from the budget for the affected municipalities, as well as fuel for the machines and specialised vehicles.

Serbian private companies also donated fuel for the affected municipalities while the private citizens put themselves and their equipment at disposal for the rescue operations.

So far, the capacities of the Republic of Serbia have been sufficient to deal with the situation and there has been no need for international assistance.