Bosnians bury 19 victims of devastating floods

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JABLANICA, Bosnia and Herzegovina (Reuters) – Hundreds of people attended prayers on Tuesday for 19 villagers who died when flash floods and landslides swept through swathes of central and southern Bosnia 10 days ago, killing at least 26 people and destroying whole villages and roads.

Coffins wrapped in green cloth were lined up at an Islamic cemetery in the southern town of Jablanica, where bereaved family members said their final goodbyes.

Enes Dzino sobbed as he sat next to the coffins of his daughter-in-law’s parents, brother, uncles and their children. “We lost nine members of her family,” he said.

After the prayers, the coffins were taken to local cemeteries across the area for burial.

Semir Jahic, a Muslim cleric from the worst affected village of Donja Jablanica, said 18 members of his congregation had perished in the floods.

“This is a difficult and moving situation,” he said. “We are a too small community to lose so many people in one day.”