The component of Disaster and Risk Assessment Management (DRAM) was the topic that brought together municipal officers of Ferizaj/Urosevac, MuSPP representatives and DRAM experts,  at Municipal Assembly (MA) of Ferizaj/Urosevac on January 26. 

MuSPP in cooperation with Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Engineering Seismology in Skopje (ISIIZ) conducted a survey on the flood prone areas around the river Nerodime in the Municipality of Ferizaj/Urosevac. Findings from this survey were presented together with the possible solutions for reducing flood damages.

Qazime Vata, municipal director of Urbanism in the municipality of Ferizaj/Urosevac, in her welcoming speech pointed out that Ferizaj/Urosevac often experiences floods caused by Nerodime River, but she expressed hope that with the assistance of MuSPP the risks of future damages will be reduced. All affected parties will be consulted in the process of formulating of Capital Investment Project (CIP), Vata said.

Pren Domgjoni, UN-HABITAT’s DRAM officer said that the DRAM component from the adopted Municipal Development Plans was reviewed. The team consisting of DRAM and municipal officers acknowledged the need for retrofitting this aspect in the plan. In this regard, the survey done in the flood prone area by the MuSPP team and Municipality found the crucial factors for prevention of flooding damages, adding that flooding can’t be stopped, but there are possibilities for reducing damages.

Zoran Milutinovic, Ph.D. from the Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Engineering Seismology in Skopje, Macedonia (ISIIS), in his presentation on damages due to flooding, said that the issue of Nerodime River was not a disaster, but thanks to conducting the survey the awareness was raised among the residents living in the flood prone area.