Record Balkan floods: At least 20 killed, tens of thousands forced to flee (PHOTOS)

Published time: May 17, 2014 10:28
Edited time: May 17, 2014 12:41

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People sit in a boat after being evacuated from their flooded houses in the town of Obrenovac, east from Belgrade May 16, 2014. (Reuters/Marko Djurica)

At least 20 people were killed, tens of thousands evacuated, over 250,000 households left without power in what has been branded the 'worst flooding' on record across the Balkans.
Officials in Bosnia say 12 people have died and more bodies could emerge as the water recedes from dozens of cities flooded in the past three days. Serbia has seen eight deaths, AP reported.
"This is the greatest flooding disaster ever. Not just in the past 100 years; this has never happened in Serbia's history," Serbia's Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic told a news conference on Thursday.
"More rain fell in one day than in four months," he added.
On Friday, about 135,000 households were left without power across Serbia, and the government approved emergency electricity imports. Another 65,000 were without electricity in Bosnia, Reuters reported.
"This is a catastrophe. Nature has never been so cruel to us," Serbian Energy Minister Aleksandar Antic said.