Abstract

In just three days, disastrous floods caused by heavy rain have covered an area of approximately
10,000 km2, which is equivalent to one fifth of the total territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Large rivers
in the Sava River Basin, including the Sava river itself, inundated and flooded to a greater or lesser
extent all major cities and municipalities which they run through. These floods, at the unprecedented
level in 120 years, also affected the neighboring countries and the wider region, and once again
demonstrated and proved the impotence of man before the forces of nature, as well as the results of
negligence and lack of preparation for these real events.
The general public impression is that the response of the system, institutions and the population was
fairly well organized in a short time in relation to the level preparedness resulting from failed early
warning. Under the guidance of civil protection staffs at entity and Brcko District levels, relevant
organizations of the system acted independently and, mostly with the help of the B&H Armed Forces
and international forces, quickly accommodated large number of residents and evacuated them to a
safe place (collective centers, with their relatives and friends), and distribute large volumes of
humanitarian aid.
Through an efficient inter-communication, B&H state level institutions successfully coordinated the
assistance provided by the B&H Armed Forces and implemented all adopted regulations and standards
related to provision of support by the host country in terms of coordination of reception and deployment
of international forces and the delivery of humanitarian aid to the affected population through institutions
at entity and Brko District levels.

Rescue phase was completed in the first 10 days, followed by a slightly longer period of rehabilitation of
the effects (in towns along the Sava river, water was present up to 18/06/2014.). But, now follows the
painful long-term recovery and reconstruction, whose socio-economic consequences will affect entire
society. A period after the disaster is always marked by analysis and evaluation of results and the
systemic level of preparedness. So far, the Civil Protection has not had the necessary support and the
government remembers it only when an accident has already taken place. It remains to be seen if the
lessons learned will result in better preparation for new flooding and other disasters at all levels.

Key words: inundation, flood, evacuation, coordination, host nation support.