Flood damage to affect schooling in Cerklje na Gorenjskem

Last Friday almost all creeks and streams in Cerklje flooded buildings and destroyed bridges and roads.

A large number of landslides were triggered, cutting off parts of the municipality. One of them is still endangering a house and a commercial building.

Cerklje has faced floods in the past years but never to such extent, said Marjan Luskovec, head of the Cerklje civil protection.

Even though water flooded some of the local fire stations, more than 100 firefighters were busy at over 350 sites pumping water out of buildings, redirecting streams, clearing clogged drains and helping with transport and evacuation of people.

The floods completely destroyed the interior of the cultural centre, said Cerklje Mayor Franc Čebulj, adding that the primary school in two locations and a sports hall were also flooded.

First estimates show that the renovations of the buildings will cost some EUR 2 million.

Čebulj is most concerned by the destroyed boiler room in the primary school, since wait times for a new heat pump can exceed half a year. "We have to heat up the school in mid September," he said.

The basement of the school, which includes the boiler room and two classrooms, was flooded to the ceiling, said headteacher Boštjan Mohorič. Now firefighters and other locals are helping clean the mud that the water left behind. Floors will need to be changed in the sports hall and 15 classrooms.

There are no options to finish the renovation of the school by September when it should receive 730 children. "We will strive to have first and second grade in the school. We will try to organise classes for the others, in part online, some in the afternoon," the headteacher said.

The damage on school facilities alone is estimated at EUR 1 million. Representatives of the Education Ministry, which will offer financial aid, visited the school on Monday.

The municipality will have to delay some planned projects because of the necessary renovations on public buildings and infrastructure, the mayor said.

Due to works on the road leading to the gondola lift, the Krvavec ski resort is closed. Renovation of the road should be completed by the end of the week.

On Sunday the resort will organise a family fair, raising money for firefighters.

Luskovec and Čebulj believe that the floods are a clear sign that the municipality has to set up a dry channel. One such channel protected Cerklje from floods some 60 years ago but was later abandoned. Its revival was planned some years ago but was opposed by land owners. "We will now continue the project," the mayor said, adding that the land would be expropriated if necessary.