site.btaHeavy Rainfall Causes Flooding in Virovitica-Podravina County in Croatia, Prompting Emergency Response

Heavy rainfall in Croatia over the past 24 hours has caused the Vucica River to overflow, flooding the Virovitica-Podravina County, including the town of Orahovica and nearby municipalities. Nearly 80 liters of rain per square meter were recorded in the area, the Croatian Radio-Television reported on Friday.

The Civil Protection Headquarters of Orahovica has been activated, and emergency teams are on the ground, including staff from the state-owned company Croatian Waters, firefighters, utility services, and a boat from the Slatina Fire Department, ready for potential evacuation.

Several streets have been closed, and homes have been flooded. Water levels in the Vucica and Vojlovica rivers are high.

In the flooded areas of Virovitica-Podravina County, the primary issue is waterlogged soil, which is unable to absorb the rainfall and runoff from the two rivers. After Orahovica, the situation is becoming critical in the village of Lukavac near Slatina, where rising waters blocked the road on Friday morning.

In Orahovica, homes and yards have been flooded, according to Virovitica-Podravina County Governor Igor Androvic, speaking to the Croatian News Agency. In the Zdenci area and in the village of Slavonske Bare, water is threatening private properties, prompting emergency services to take immediate action.