Four Drown in Montenegro as Severe Weather Strikes the Western Balkans – Reuters

SARAJEVO (Reuters) – Four individuals tragically lost their lives when a tourist boat capsized due to strong winds on the Montenegrin side of Lake Skadar on Sunday. Meanwhile, heavy rainfall and melting snow led to severe flooding across neighboring Bosnia, resulting in damaged homes and blocked roadways.

Reports indicate that a couple and their young daughter from the town of Zeta in Montenegro drowned in the incident, along with a man who attempted to assist them. Other passengers on the boat were successfully rescued.

There were eight people aboard the vessel at the time, including an Orthodox priest who was accompanying the group to visit a nearby Orthodox monastery.

The combination of warmer temperatures following a cold spell and significant rainfall has led to melting snow throughout much of the Western Balkans. On Sunday, several rivers in Bosnia overflowed, inundating hundreds of homes, damaging bridges, and obstructing roads.

In response to the flooding, two towns in central Bosnia, Zenica and Kakanj, declared emergencies as streets in some areas transformed into flowing rivers. Rescue teams were dispatched to evacuate residents from their homes using rubber boats. Schools in the most impacted regions announced closures for Monday.

Meteorologists have warned of more rain and snow on the way, which could elevate water levels in major rivers beyond normal ranges in the coming days.