Domaljevac: Home of the Floods

The elderly told me a story that in their youth, town of Domaljevac would be flooded for months, and that the men used pick up ladies in canoes to go on dates. Floods were common in this area. However, sixty years later in 2014, unforgettable flood hit the town and reminded the locals of floods once again. The water stayed for 18 days, while in the rest of the country the water pulled out in a day or two. The water was anywhere from 1 to 2 meters high, and it damaged homes. Drinking water was contaminated. But the locals did a great deal of cleaning on their own as they thought no one would arrive to help because of their geographical location. Domaljevac is set in the Federation of Bosnia, but it is close to Croatian border. However, the help arrived from all over the country and Europe including Austrian Red Cross, Bosnian Civil Protection, friends from Germany, and many other places and suddenly the town became a role model on unity and fast recovery.

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