OBRENOVAC, Serbia, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Serbia needs help to repair the consequences of the catastrophic floods, Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said after touring town of Obrenovac with ambassadors of several dozen countries.
After water started to decline in Obrenovac, the most heavily flooded town in the catastrophe that hit Serbia, representatives of about 70 embassies have toured with Dacic on May 19 across the flooded streets.
Among the diplomats that drove on top of police vehicles in Obrenovac, some 30 km southwest of Belgrade, were the head of the EU delegation to Serbia Michael Davenport, U.S. ambassador Michael Kirby, Chinese ambassador Zhang Wanxue, ambassador of Germany Heinz Wilhelm as well as many others.
After taking a tour over the flooded city with huge lakes that still cover courtyards and cars turned upside down, Dacic told journalists that he brought ambassadors there to show them the catastrophic flood, and discuss how their countries can help repair the damages.
"Serbia expects two kinds of help. One is assistance in rescuing people, but the current situation shows that this kind of help is less and less needed. On the other hand we expect help in future days and weeks to repair all this that has been damaged," said Dacic, who is also the deputy PM of Serbia.
Dacic thanked all countries that sent help to evacuated people, mentioning that the latest announcements of upcoming humanitarian aid came from Italy and Azerbaijan.
"Help is sent from across the globe -- from the Russia to EU, USA and many other countries," Dacic said, adding that Serbia actively negotiates to obtain help from the EU Solidarity Fund.
The head of the EU delegation Michael Davenport promised that the "EU and its member states will be with Serbia in this hard moment."
American ambassador Michael Kirby said that the tour across the flooded Obrenovac helped them to see what can be done to help repair the damages.
"All of us are getting here a better view of what we can do in following days, weeks and months to put the people here in Obrenovac and other parts of Serbia back on their feet," Michael Kirby said.
However, moments after ambassadors left Obrenovac, a new "urgent and total" evacuation was ordered as several damps on the Sava River near the town started to leak water, bringing a new flood wave.
According the police data, more than 25,000 people were evacuated from their homes since the emergency state was declared in Serbia on May 15, of which 7,800 come from the city of Obrenovac, where at least 13 people lost their lives in the flood.（本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑） |