Drought and heat trigger water emergencies in Serbia and Bosnia

Severe drought and high temperatures have triggered environmental and supply crises in parts of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In the Trgovište municipality of Serbia, an emergency situation has been declared across several villages and local communities, including Donji Koziji Dol, Široka Planina, Lesnica, and parts of Radovnica, Donji Stajevac, Šajince, and Novo Selo. The shortage affects both drinking and technical water supplies. Authorities have appealed to residents to use water strictly for essential needs only.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, particularly near Doboj, extremely low water levels and rising temperatures are threatening river ecosystems. Water temperatures in the Bosna River have reached 27 degrees Celsius, with some riverbeds nearly drying up to the point where they can be crossed on foot. The Sportsko-ribolovno udruženje ‘Bosna’ Doboj is monitoring the Bosna, Usora, and Spreča rivers, warning that fishing restrictions may be implemented to protect fish stocks. A recent fish die-off was reported on the Spreča River, prompting police and relevant authorities to collect water samples to determine the cause.