Ministers say gov't will help in dealing with flood damage in Zadar

The damage caused to Zadar's drainage utility Odvodnja by flooding after heavy rainfall earlier this week is estimated at HRK 10 million for now, of which HRK 9.5 million to equipment, company director Grgo Peronja told ministers Oleg Butkovic and Tomislav Coric on Wednesday as they visited the flooded area, announcing the government's aid in dealing with the damage.

Fifteen thousand cubic metres of water has been pumped out of the waste water purifier, a little over a half, and the purifier is expected to be put back in operation by Friday, after which the exact damage will be known, Peronja said.

Environmental Protection and Energy Minister Coric said the most important thing was that there had been no casualties during the storm that hit Zadar and that the Hrvatske Vode water operator must focus all of its efforts on returning the situation to normal.

Coric and Transport and Infrastructure Minister Butkovic also visited the Poljica Brig-Nin road, which was destroyed in Monday's flooding, and the town of Nin, which was hit the hardest. Total damage is estimated in tens of millions of kuna.

Butkovic said the towns and municipalities in Zadar County must now assess the damage and since their budgets could not cover the costs, the government would take a comprehensive approach to resolving all problems.

Coric said Nin was flooded because a levee broke, "which couldn't be avoided."

"We have been hit by a natural disaster and we must be aware of that," county prefect Bozidar Longin said, adding that he would declare the county a natural disaster area next week. He said that Nin's salt works, dating back to Roman times, no longer existed.

Assistant Culture Minister Davor Trupkovic, who accompanied the two ministers in Nin, said Croatia had 12 weeks to apply for money from the European Union Solidarity Fund to repair the cultural heritage damaged in the flood, including Nin's old town and bridge, a protected cultural monument, which collapsed.

(Hina)

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