Areas in central Croatia continued to fight floods on Monday (March 19). State of emergency was declared in the Kosinj valley on Sunday, where flood water from the swollen Lika river cut off access to some 500 people, and where the water wave has yet to peak, with water level rising at a rate of 5-8 centimetres per hour.

The army, firefighters and rescue services have also been called in to help in Jasenovac, Trabež and Letovanić in northern parts of central Croatia., where rising levels of Sava and Una rivers threaten residential areas.

The Sava river reached its historical maximum on Monday at 7:00, at 915 centimetres near the town of Jasenovac, surpassing the previous all-time record of 907 cm from 1970. By 9:00 it inched up to 917 cm.

The authorities said all necessary measures have been done in defending against flooding from the Una and Sava rivers, and that the system could hold up to 30 cm more of rising river levels. Some 180 soldiers have been sent to help the affected areas, with another 300 put on standby.