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SALT LAKE CITY — The people of Bosnia and Serbia will struggle for a long time to recover from the worst flooding to hit that region since record-keeping started more than a century ago. Many Bosnians and Serbs here in Utah are frustrated that the catastrophe has gotten so little attention in the news.
"People lost everything," said Selma Mlikota, a native Bosnian who came to Salt Lake City as a war refugee more than 15 years ago.
There are more than 7,000 Bosnians in Utah. Around 2,500 of them resettled here as war refugees, and their home is shattered again — inundated by floodwaters — and their families are desperate for help.
Three months' worth of rain in three days left 40 percent of Bosnia under water, according to government officials. Floodwaters destroyed farms, homes and businesses, especially in the northern part of the country.
"They have no electricity, no running water and they lost all of their livelihood," said Mlikota, who has spent hours on Facebook over the last five days keeping up on the latest developments. "It's a pretty desperate situation."
She scrolled through pictures of Doboj, where she grew up.
"As you can see, this is pretty violent, the rush of the water," she said, pointing to a photograph of a main street in her hometown that looked like a raging river. Floodwaters had swamped the first floor of every home and shop in town.
Her parents still live there.
"Our home flooded completely, and they fled over to the neighbors," she said.
Mlikota said they are distraught at the thought of having to rebuild their lives once again.
Mlikota is among more than 60 native Bosnians who work at O.C. Tanner. The company has cultivated a reputation among refugees as a good place to get started in the workforce in Utah.
They arrived as war refugees and made homes here. Now some feel as if they are going through that ugly chapter all over again.
Lidija Alomerovic's parents are visiting northern Bosnia from Salt Lake. They went over on vacation before the flooding started. Her mother called her as the floodwaters rose last week.
"The first floor is completely flooded," Alomerovic's mother told her in that phone conversation. "We are going to the attic. We are OK for now, but we don't know what's going to happen," she said.
"After that, my mom's phone died," Alomerovic said.
Alomerovic was emotionally devastated as she worried about her parents, who ended up spending several days in the attic until the waters receded.
"We are living the war again," her mother told her on the phone.
Many Bosnians and Serbs feel the same way after their countries had finally rebuilt after the war. So around the world and online, Bosnians and Serbs are rallying and asking for support.
O.C. Tanner has already pledged $10,000 to the relief effort.
"We need more people to help us out, and help us rebuild Bosnia and Serbia again," Mlikota said.
Wednesday night, volunteers collected flood relief items at the American Bosnian-Herzegovinian Association Cultural Center at 3723 S. 900 East in Salt Lake County. They will collect donations again Saturday from 6-10 p.m. Everything they gather here will go to a sister organization in St. Louis then on to Bosnia.
Cash donations* will be accepted, and they will be accepting baby and children's clothes, diapers, hygienic kits, household items such as blankets and comforters, batteries, first aid kits and over-the-counter medications such as Advil and Tylenol.
Donations can also be made by contacting Nerma Kadic at 801-680-9651 or via email at nermakadic@gmail.com.
*KSL.com has not verified the accuracy of the information provided with respect to the account nor does KSL.com assure that the monies deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
