Floods caused major damage at Llap, the worst situation in Podujevo Minorica

Major damage to road infrastructure, family economy and agriculture has been caused in Podujevo as a result of recent flooding after heavy rainfall.

The worst situation continues to remain in the village of Equiptica, where the road has collapsed and is impassable above the village. Meanwhile, for the rest of the road to the village's entrance, the municipality is in constant efforts to open this road to residents.

The chairman of Podujevo, the Bulliqi Speed for Kosovo Press, has said infrastructure damage, but also family economies are huge in Llap.

Bulliqi says the Minor Party route has opened in those countries where it has been blocked, but adds that damage from road collapses can total over half a million euros, which he said would require government assistance for its sancing.

“We have managed to unblock the road, the situation seems to be under control, but from the recent observations we're seeing, infrastructure damage, but family economies are also huge. Therefore, according to all odds, we will need assistance from the central level because only the cost of this route in Pakshtica, which has almost been damaged. Thus, it is necessary to make the overall sanization of this road, and the damage seems to be relatively great. I'm afraid that only this road could cost over half a million euros, not to talk about other damages in other sectors and other parts of Llap”, he said.

For the overall damage on this road, Mayor Bulqi said there is still no report on accurate data.

We can't say an exact figure because the commission is formed and will come up with estimates, because we have three categories of damage. We have damage to road infrastructure, to family economies and businesses, but also to agriculture. I believe we'll be going out soon with the preliminary damage report”, he says.

Bulliqi added that two families were evacuated on the first day of flooding

No, there are no families at risk and this is important. We had two cases for the evacuation of families on the first day of the flooding, and those families are in a safe place. So, damage to human resources we don't have, but material damage is being seen as obvious”, he said.

The head of the village of Pakashtica, located northwest of Podujevo, Naim Hoxha, pointing to the major damage in this village, expresses fears that rainfall and snow can still increase the water level.

“They have initiated rainfall and snow, but the current situation in this village is severe. They're over 200 meters of collapsed road, the bridges are blocked. This view of the collapse of the road seems like waterfalls and damage is tremendous, but how much this monetary damage might be still unknown... In addition to road infrastructure damage, there is damage to agriculture, but luckily there is damage to people and home does not have”, Hoxha said.

This village's other resident, Islam Aliu, said the floods have ruined the bridge and it is impossible to drive into the backyard.

“From the recent flood damage has been caused on the court entrance bridge. The road has collapsed and I can't get into my house by car, just walking. The municipality has come to the scene to see the damage, but there is not yet any intervention for running water into the riverbed and to repair the damage that has been done”, he says.

The recent floods in Llap have affected most villages: Pakshtica, Glamnik, Sibovc, Krpimeh, Reppa, Bajqina, Peran and Lenco and parts of the city of Podujevo