Severe weather has wreaked havoc across Bosnia-Herzegovina, with flash floods and landslides leaving at least 16 people dead, including a baby, and many others injured in the areas surrounding Jablanica and Konjic, where rescue teams are desperately searching for missing people.

The floods and landslides, triggered by heavy rainfall, have caused widespread devastation, leaving entire regions isolated and ongoing rescue operations struggling to reach survivors, as ABC News reports.

Torrential rain fell over Jablanica and Konjic, with floodwaters surging into homes during the night, catching many residents off guard.

The fast-moving waters triggered landslides that collapsed roads and hillsides, burying villages beneath layers of debris. Some houses in the affected areas were submerged up to their rooftops, leaving little behind but rubble as the waters receded.

Villages Buried in Mudslides

One of the worst-hit areas was the village of Donja Jablanica, where rocks from a nearby quarry tumbled down, burying homes in mud. Rescue operations are underway, but the situation remains dire. Alka Gusic, a resident of the village, spoke of the devastation, saying she initially believed an earthquake had struck.

"I thought it was an earthquake," Gusic recounted. "I saw my brother's son being pulled out. He was lying on the ground -- it was obvious he was dead." She tragically lost four members of her family, and her son is currently hospitalized.

"My house is completely destroyed. No one survived," Gusic added in disbelief.

Search and Rescue Operations Continue

Authorities in Bosnia have sealed off the town of Jablanica to prevent outsiders from entering as search and rescue teams work to locate the missing. Rescue efforts are complicated by the destruction of key infrastructure, as kilometers of roads have been wiped out by landslides and floodwaters. Bridges have collapsed, leaving many areas inaccessible.

Husein Hodzic, a member of the local civil protection unit, described the situation as catastrophic. "Kilometers of roads no longer exist, nearly all bridges have been destroyed. There is no electricity, all power poles have been swept away. There are no phone lines," Hodzic explained.

Infrastructure Damage Hampers Rescue Efforts

In addition to the human toll, the flooding and landslides have caused significant damage to infrastructure, with roads, bridges, and power lines completely wiped out. Many villages near Konjic remain cut off, with rescue teams struggling to reach isolated communities. The scale of the destruction has forced local authorities to postpone scheduled elections in the hardest-hit municipalities, with all focus now on rescue and recovery efforts.

The floods also impacted neighboring countries like Croatia and Montenegro, though the damage there was far less severe and resulted in no fatalities.

Climate Change and the Rising Risk of Flooding

Some experts have pointed to the role of climate change in intensifying these extreme weather events. Warmer temperatures are increasing the intensity of rainfall, leading to more frequent and severe flooding. Last summer's drought in Bosnia has further exacerbated the problem, as the dry ground was unable to absorb the torrential downpour, leading to rapid and overwhelming flooding.

While rescue operations continue in the most affected regions, the threat of further landslides and floods looms as more rain is forecast in the coming days. As rescue teams navigate through treacherous terrain, they face the grim task of recovering bodies from the debris.

Communities Rebuild Amid Tragedy

As the waters recede and rescue operations press on, survivors are left to pick up the pieces of their lives. Entire neighborhoods have been destroyed, and many families are grieving the loss of loved ones. Efforts to restore basic services like electricity and phone lines are underway, but the sheer extent of the destruction means it could be weeks or even months before some areas see any semblance of normalcy.

Despite the immense challenges, local authorities and international aid organizations are mobilizing to provide relief to the affected regions. However, the road to recovery will be long and arduous, with many communities grappling with both physical and emotional trauma.

Concluding Summary

In conclusion, flash floods and landslides have devastated parts of Bosnia-Herzegovina, killing at least 16 people and injuring many more.

Rescue teams are racing against time to find survivors as destroyed infrastructure hampers efforts.

With climate change said by some to be contributing to more intense rainfall, Bosnia and its neighboring countries face an increasingly uncertain future, while survivors begin the painful process of rebuilding their lives.