The floods that hit the area of Jablanica, Konjic, Neretvica, Kiseljak, Fojnica and Kreševo valleys destroyed road and railway connections, and many villages are still cut off from the rest of the world. Numerous parishes in those areas were also affected by the natural disaster, and so far there is no information about major material damage to religious buildings.

Jablanica and Doljani

According to the information provided on October 4^th by the parish priest in Jablanica, rev. Drago Ćurković, there was no significant damage to the parish church in the floods that hit the area there. "I was on duty from 2:00 a.m. last night and monitored the situation. A little water got into the parish hall, but I managed to deal with it, and the church, thank God, remained undamaged. For now, I have no verified information about the condition of the parishioners. However, most of them live in apartments in the city and the suburbs, and as far as I could see, there is no major damage", said rev. Drago and expressed his solidarity with all those affected by these terrible floods and, in a special way, sent his condolences and closeness to the families of the victims.

Not far from Jablanica, Doljani parish was cut off from the city due to heavy rainfall.

The road to Doljani from Jablanica was completely destroyed. According to parish priest OFM Stjepan Pavličević, it is about 100 meters of road with a depth of 10 to 15 meters, and will take several months to repair the damage.

Fortunately, as OFM Stjepan said, none of the parishioners were hurt, and no property was destroyed.

"Nevertheless, there is a danger because the landslide phase is just now starting, but we pray to God that it ends here. The problem is the hills are filled with water, which could cause a landslide, and that happened 50 years ago. You can't prevent that", said OFM Stjepan.

Parishes in Neretvica valley

Cataclysmic floods also cut off from the world parishes in the valley of the river Neretvica: Podhum-Žitače, Obri and Solakova Kula. As the parish priest in Obri, with headquarters in Kostajnica, rev. Marin Marić, said, the situation was chaotic. "Since 2:00 a.m. last night, we have had no electricity or phone. The most difficult thing is that people do not have water. Landslides started from Bokševica mountain, which completely cut us off from the world. Thank God, as far as I know, there are no victims here. However, the unverified information that reached me says that there are victims in the Podhum-Žitače parish, in Buturović Polje and Seonica", said rev. Marić, mentioning that he is charging his cell phone battery in the car because there is no other way, and expressed the hope that the much-needed help will reach them soon.

Which is what happened when HŠK Zrinjski fans managed to get to Kostajnica in the afternoon on October 5^th. Popularly known as Ultrasi, they brought 10 generator sets and other necessities such as water supplies and hygiene products to the injured people.

A day later, on October 6^th, the head office of the Obri parish was visited by the president of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lidija Bradara, along with the representative in the House of Peoples of the FBiH Parliamentary Assembly, Tomislav Martinović, and the mayor of Konjic, Osman Ćatić. They met in Kostajnica with rev. Marić.

"The most important things for us now are aggregates, gasoline and roads as soon as possible. In Kostajnica, the electrical station was destroyed, so it no longer exists at all", revealed rev. Marić, adding that Bradara and Martinović promised immediate help from all levels of government.

He noted that in all the villages of the parish road communication was destroyed, and parishioners are still without electricity, water and telephone communications.

"I don't have access to the parishes, I only know that the cemetery of St. John the Baptist is damaged. The situation is bad. I don't even have a place to wash up", pastor Marić said at the end.

Three victims in Fojnica

The parish of Fojnica and several of its villages were also affected by the floods. Gojevići, Gojevićke Luke, Bakovići, Drin, Podcitonja, Šćitovo were completely flooded and separated from Fojnica.

"Around 2:00 a.m., people were woken up by the noise of water entering the houses, and in an hour or two everything was flooded. They managed to climb to the upper floors of the houses so that the rescue teams pulled them out, and the people sought shelter with their relatives", said the guardian of the Fojnica and parish priest OFM Mario Katušić, stressing that the internet and the electricity supply were also cut off in those places.

Unfortunately, three flood victims were also recorded in Fojnica. A memorial Holy Mass was celebrated for one of them on October 6^th, and funeral rites were held at the local cemetery.

The locals of Fojnica are still working on cleaning roads, yards and homes while they recover from the consequences of this disaster.

Kreševo and Deževice

The storm hit the territory of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary parish in Kreševo. In a telephone conversation with the guardian and dean of Kreševo, rev. Josip Tomas, we learned that road communication in eight villages was completely damaged.

"There is no access, the machines are on the ground, they are working. Some landslides have also started. Several family houses and business buildings were flooded. One part of the settlement does not have drinking water because the supply pipes were destroyed. Landslides started here near the church itself - on the access road. There are no human victims, thank God", said pastor Tomas.

He added that the Vranci cemetery was damaged as a result of the landslide, but the situation is calming down and work is being done at full steam. The Kreševo Civil Protection Headquarters and local entrepreneurs work together.

In the vicinity of Kreševo, the village and parish of the same name, Deževice, also suffered damage, and the most damaged was the shrine of St. Jacom, in the village of Vrelo. A popular pilgrimage site in the parish of Our Lady of Snow, to which, in addition to Catholics, Orthodox and Muslims also make pilgrimages, was badly damaged by the torrential water.

Vareš and Gromiljak

A state of natural disaster was declared on the territory of the parish and municipality of Vareš on October 4^th, but fortunately, as the parish priest OFM Leon Pendić told us, the situation improved considerably after the rain stopped. The roads to Breza were impassable due to the overflowing of the river Stavnja and to the other side towards Vijaka parish, so there was a cut off, but soon the situation returned to normal.

Both the church and the parish buildings in the Mary’s name parish in Gromiljak near Kiseljak were surrounded by water. According to the parish priest, rev. Marko Mikić, the water did not enter the houses, but the basements were flooded.

"Yesterday (October 6^th) we celebrated Holy Mass as if nothing had happened", gratefully said Rev. Mikić describing how the situation in the parish has almost completely stabilized.

We should also mention the area of Visoko, which was also affected, but, fortunately, without human casualties or major material damage.

Condolences and help

On the occasion of these events and the great tragedy that claimed many human lives, expressions of fraternal solidarity and human sympathy were sent by the archbishop of Vrhbosna, metropolitan Msgr. Tomo Vukšić. "In helping people in need, the Catholic believers, priests, monks and nuns will, as always in similar situations, this time too, find ways to do everything possible to help people who are suffering, and church charities and their employees have started to act the moment they learned of the tragedy. Thanks to all of them! And may they continue to do good. Because in addition to the provided material aid, which is really important and necessary, it is equally important that all those affected by this tragedy feel and know that they are not alone, nor are they left behind by other people and the wider social community", said, among other things, Archbishop Tomo.

On the same day, Caritas of Bosnia and Herzegovina showed how exactly this is, which, in cooperation with arch/diocesan Caritas from Sarajevo, Mostar and Banja Luka, launched an urgent appeal for help in the form of donations via a bank account or by calling the unique number of three operators 17764 which donates 2 KM and thus directly helps the victims.

The action to collect aid for the victims was initiated by Caritas from Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia, as well as numerous other civil and religious organizations, as well as individuals.

Finally, it should be said that Pope Francis also expressed his closeness to the population of Bosnia and Herzegovina. "May the Lord accept the dead in his arms, comfort their families and be a support and help to these communities", said the Pope in his address to the faithful after the Angelus prayer on October 6^th with the faithful gathered at St. Peter square in the Vatican.