Karlovac: Damage from floods and landslides 60 million kuna

The estimated damage caused by activated landslides and last week’s flood in the area of the City of Karlovac is currently estimated at around 60 million kuna, and by the deadline for citizens to report damages until October 27, it is possible to expect that they will be even greater, reported Karlovac Deputy Mayor Marina Kolaković to journalists after the meeting of the Commission for Damage Assessment from Natural Disasters.

In the four declared natural disasters in Karlovac last year and this year, Kolaković said, the damage amounted to over 160 million kuna, or realistically 200 million kuna if the damages to public companies are added.

The damage from land slips and secondary landslides on public areas, on the property of city companies, and on private properties amounts to 28.7 million kuna.

The damage caused by last week’s flood is currently 31 million kuna, of which 7.5 million kuna is on city infrastructure. In the category of individuals, 500 flooded houses and 530 economic facilities have been recorded, as well as agricultural land, which is roughly estimated to total 20 million kuna in damages. The remaining 3.5 million kuna pertains to damages to legal entities.

There will be little benefit for applicants for damage. Last year, in two floods, the damage was around 100 million kuna, of which 45 million kuna was for individuals. The City of Karlovac then paid one million kuna from its own budget for the rehabilitation of facilities, which is 7.7 percent of the recorded damage amount. Through the action “No Surrender,” another million kuna was collected from various sponsors, and the Government of the Republic of Croatia allocated 800 thousand kuna.

– Due to various tax changes, the city budget is smaller this year by 20 million kuna, and in addition, we had to invest over 10 million kuna in emergency repairs from last year’s damages and implement 23 measures to reduce damages from future floods, and we have already spent three million kuna for emergency interventions. Therefore, we cannot now say whether we will be able to and how much we can secure funds to assist the affected population. Whether something will come from the EU Solidarity Fund, I cannot say since we do not have direct contact with them; we have forwarded our request and are now waiting for a response. Our budget this year is 140 million kuna, the realistic amount of damages incurred last year and this year is at least 200 million kuna, and the estimated amount for completing the flood defense system of Karlovac ranges from 320 to 350 million kuna. It has been shown that only comprehensive solutions, and not partial ones as before, can prevent damage in the future – said Kolaković, adding that the City also supports the future 100 million kuna worth private project for the construction of the small hydroelectric power plant Brodarci, which would give meaning and function to the Kupa-Kupa channel as a key defense system for Karlovac against floods.