Severe Storms Cause Chaos and Flooding in Istria

The news in Croatian

1. oluja  (f.)
   Oluja je atmosferski poremećaj s jakim vjetrom, kišom i često grmljavinom. ↩︎
2. munja  (f.)
   Munja je sjajna električna iskra na nebu koja se obično pojavljuje za vrijeme grmljavine. ↩︎
3. poplaviti
   Poplaviti znači napuniti vodom do te mjere da preplavi. ↩︎
4. reagirati
   Reagirati znači odgovoriti na događaj ili stimulans. ↩︎
5. umirovljenik  (m.)
   Umirovljenik je osoba koja više ne radi jer je dostigla starosnu mirovinu. ↩︎
6. vatrogasac  (m.)
   Vatrogasac je osoba osposobljena za gašenje požara i spašavanje u hitnim situacijama. ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: Which cities in Istria were especially affected by the storm?

Question 2: Who is helping with the flooding in Istria?

Vocabulary

Croatian	English
oluja  (f.)	storm
munja  (f.)	lightning
poplaviti	flood
reagirati	react
umirovljenik  (m.)	pensioner
vatrogasac  (m.)	firefighter

Read the full story

A severe storm wreaked havoc in the Istrian region of Croatia, with towns like Umag and Novigrad experiencing significant damage. According to weather reports, the storm was marked by an extraordinary lightning activity, with nearly 2,000 strikes recorded in just two hours. Heavy rains saw about 100 millimetres of rain fall per square metre within a short span of time.

The Croatian Civil Protection Directorate reported that their emergency centre received multiple calls for assistance due to flooding in basements and ground floors of residential properties. Swift responses from local disaster management teams were coordinated to mitigate the aftermath of the storm.

The situation was particularly severe in Novigrad, where essential facilities such as the retirement home and sports hall were inundated, resulting in ongoing recovery efforts. Morena Stanivuković, director of the Novigrad retirement home, described extensive water damage to key parts of the facility, including medical care units and communal areas.

Teams from the Croatian Red Cross have been actively involved in the recovery efforts across the region. Reports indicate that dozens of dehumidifiers are being deployed to aid in drying the affected areas. The Red Cross noted extensive damage to public and private properties and highlighted the need for continuous support in the affected regions.

In response to the storm, a meteorological warning has been issued by the Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service. This alert, marked as orange, signifies dangerous weather conditions, especially for the Rijeka region. Towns such as Poreč and Trieste also reported adverse weather, with Trieste noting significant street flooding.

Dino Kozlevac, the head of the Istrian County Fire Brigade, emphasised the coordinated effort of firefighters and utility services working to manage and rectify the damage. He underscored the need for sustainable urban planning and better stormwater management to mitigate the effects of similar weather events in the future.

Authorities in Istria are currently assessing the damage, which extends beyond urban infrastructure to include agricultural lands like olive groves and vineyards. The potential for declaring a state of natural disaster is under consideration, pending detailed reports from local municipalities.

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