A shipment of 15 container homes arrived at the military barracks in Celebici, aimed at providing temporary housing for those left homeless by the recent floods. Another shipment of 20 containers is expected to arrive later tonight, Husein Hodzic, a representative from the Civil Protection and Fire Service of Konjic confirmed.

The containers, donated by the Croatian Government, are part of the international aid response to the devastating floods that have severely affected the region. The upcoming shipment from Turkey will further bolster the relief efforts.

“We unloaded 15 container homes earlier today, donated by the Croatian government,” Hodzic stated. “We also expect an additional 20 containers from Turkey later tonight. Our teams are already on the ground, preparing the site for installation, which requires basic infrastructure work, such as setting up water and sewage systems. The goal is to establish a temporary settlement for the displaced.”

Challenging Evacuation Efforts Amid Rising Waters

Over the past night, more than 400 people were evacuated from flood-affected areas after the Federation (FBiH) entity’s Civil Protection Headquarters ordered an evacuation. Konjic’s Civil Protection units worked tirelessly to ensure the safety of residents, many of whom were located in remote villages.

“We faced a complex evacuation process,” Hodzic explained. “Twelve villages, all quite far apart, had to be reached by mountainous roads, which took several hours. By early morning, around 5 or 6 am, we managed to evacuate over 400 people. Many others left on their own, using their own vehicles or without official supervision, given the vast area we were dealing with.”

This morning, search efforts continued around the lake and coastal areas, where authorities are still looking for two missing persons. Along with search operations, construction teams have been deployed across affected areas to repair roads and restore access to isolated villages.

“We still have about 10-15 kilometres of roads that are impassable and several bridges that have been destroyed or heavily damaged. There are entire villages we haven’t been able to reach yet due to landslides. Some of these villages had to be fully evacuated. However, we are working as hard as we can, with help from neighbouring countries, including Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, and Montenegro. Their assistance has been invaluable, and together, we are doing our best to minimize the damage and make life easier for those affected,” Hodzic added.

Uncertainty lingers as weather shifts

Hodzic noted that the situation remains fluid, with conditions changing by the hour. Heavy rainfall had been forecasted for the previous night, causing widespread panic among the residents already hit hard by the disaster.

“With the threat of landslides, people were understandably afraid, but fortunately, there were no casualties. Today, the weather has improved, and without more rain, we hope to avoid new landslides and additional damage to homes and buildings,” Hodzic concluded, explaining that access to some areas remains limited, with only large off-road vehicles able to traverse the rough terrain.

The emergency response teams remain on high alert as they continue their efforts to provide relief and restore normalcy in the affected areas.