Budapest, 4 October 2024 (dpa/MIA) - At least 14 people have died in flooding and landslides in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a spokesman for the government of the Herzegovina-Neretva canton told Bosnian media on Friday.

The mountainous region about 30 kilometres north of the city of Mostar, in the south of the country, is the worst affected.

Local media reported that heavy rainfall caused several rivers in the region to burst their banks. It said that in the town of Jablanica, there was a mudslide affecting many houses and that only the minaret of the town's mosque was still visible.

Jablanica was completely isolated, as the country roads nearby were unusable and the rain had washed away the earth beneath the railway tracks. Rescue workers were eventually able to reach it and brought people to safety using boats, local media reported.

"I can't remember such a crisis since the war. The extent of this chaotic situation is shocking," said the canton government spokesman, referring to the Bosnian war from 1992-95.

He said that the situation remained serious, with bad weather forecast for the weekend.

Photo: EPA