Russia and Europe join relief efforts for worst Balkans floods in over a century

Russian cargo planes and rescue teams from around Europe on Sunday joined huge volunteer aid efforts in swathes of Serbia and Bosnia where at least 24 people have died in the worst floods in over a century.

Rains eased and waters receded in the worst-hit areas of central and western Serbia and northeastern Bosnia, but the River Sava was forecast to continue rising in the Serbian capital, Belgrade.

The Sava burst its banks after days of torrential flooding in the ex-Yugoslav republics, flooding towns and cutting power to tens of thousands of homes.

Thousands of soldiers and volunteers worked through the night to build a sandbag barrier five kilometres long to protect Serbia’s Kostolac coal-fired power plant, which currently covers 20 per cent of Serbia’s electricity needs.

But waters from the River Mlava broke through early on Sunday, threatening the Drmno coal mine deposits near the Kostolac plant.