River water levels in Montenegro are slightly decreasing or stagnating, and according to meteorologists, more favorable weather conditions are expected tomorrow, Thursday.
However, the floods have already caused considerable damage in several municipalities, most notably in Danilograd, and some citizens have been evacuated until the water recedes from their homes.
The recent floods have shown that the Montenegrin authorities clearly have a problem with the term "emergency situation". While Montenegro's neighbors do not hesitate to admit when the water reaches the floor, the Montenegrin Government does not take such measures, even when the water reaches the nose.
"A state of emergency has not been declared so that we do not have to change these dates, but the situation is emergency, we are on the ground with all our capacities," said Miodrag Bešović, director of the Ministry of Interior's Protection and Rescue Directorate.
However, according to the latest information from the Hydrometeorological Institute, most rivers are stagnant or slightly falling. A greater number of interventions were recorded today in Podgorica - mostly in Beri, which is completely under water, and in Komani and Luznica, where several people were evacuated.
There was also work to be done in Tološi and Vranići, primarily due to the blockage of the canal on the Mareza, which is supposed to bring excess water from the source to the Morača. City services began removing the dams that citizens had placed in the Mareza canal this afternoon.
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"The situation is not harmless. All relevant services in the Capital City have been working at full capacity for days and are available to help the endangered population," said Podgorica Mayor Saša Mujović.
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When it comes to Lake Skadar, Bešović says that they are in constant communication with their colleagues from Albania, who are releasing water from their hydroelectric power plants, and that the situation is not cause for concern.
""For now, we are three meters below any record, and do you know how much three meters is for the surface of Lake Skadar?" said Bešović.
As one of the key causes of the problem, the authorities once again point out the many years of gravel exploitation from the Morača riverbed, as well as the fact that Montenegro has eight national plans for different types of risks, and most municipalities have local plans, which are obviously just a dead letter on paper.
"It is obvious that in the previous period they were not implemented in the way we would have liked them to be implemented and in a way that could have been acted upon accordingly, and our actions at this moment were different," said the Head of the Civil Protection Directorate, Ljuban Tmušić.
Apart from the territory of the Capital City, problems have also been recorded in other municipalities.
In Nikšić, houses in the settlements of Grebice and Duklo are still at risk, while protection and rescue services had a large number of interventions.
In Šavnik, the road over Komarnica has been reopened, while in Mojkovac, the Tara River overflowed, causing traffic to be closed in several locations.
In Bijelo Polje, the Lim, Ljuboviđa and Ćehotina rivers have overflowed their banks, but the situation is more stable. In Pljevlja, the rivers are receding and all roads are passable.
Weather forecast for Thursday and Friday
The Institute for Hydrometeorology and Seismology (ZHMS) announced that on Thursday in In the morning or forenoon, a gradual cessation of precipitation and clearing is expected.
"Cold in most of the country, very cold in the north, so mostly snow and sleet are expected, and only in lower areas in the south rain. Wind occasionally moderate to strong, northerly. Morning air temperature from -10 to 8, highest daily from -6 to 11 degrees," the ZHMS announced.
In Podgorica, precipitation is expected to cease in the first part of the day and gradually clear up. Wind will be moderate to strong at times, northerly. Morning air temperature around 5, highest daily around 7 degrees.
On Friday morning, new cloudiness will appear in Montenegro, which will cause precipitation in some places in the afternoon, and during the night in most parts of the country.
The ZHMS announced that there will be more conditions for precipitation in the southern and central regions, while in the far north and northeast of the country there will be a lot of dry weather. Winds will be moderate to strong in places, from the south. Morning air temperature from -15 to 3, highest daily from -2 to 11 degrees.
In Podgorica on Friday morning, cloudy weather is expected, precipitation is expected mainly at the end of the day and during the night. Wind is mostly weak to moderate and changeable. Morning air temperature -2, highest daily around 6 degrees.
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