Situation in eastern Croatia still critical

Danijel Soldo / CROPIX 

The situation in the Zupanja area of eastern Croatia was still critical on Saturday morning as the Sava river was threatening to overflow its banks. Over 1,000 rescue workers were in the area to help the local population. The water level of the Sava at Zupanja at 9 am was 1,159 cm and was rising, albeit more slowly than on Friday. The river was swelling five centimetres per hour, compared to 10 cm on Friday. The Sava river at Zupanja has exceeded its average centennial level by 1.20 metres, said the head of the Vinkovci office of the Hrvatske Vode water management company, Mirjana Sota. The embankment at Zupanja has been raised to a height of 1,180 cm and will need to be further strengthened as the river might reach 1,200 cm. An extra 200 army soldiers are to be deployed in the course of the day to help the 180 already in place in flood prevention efforts.