A year has passed since catastrophe descended upon the small Bosnian village of Topčić Polje, but the memories remain as raw as the scarred landscape that bears witness to the tragedy. On this solemn anniversary, the community gathers to remember the 19 neighbours, friends and family members lost to devastating floods and a monstrous landslide that changed everything.
The Day the Earth Moved
What began as heavy rainfall quickly escalated into one of the worst natural disasters to hit the region in living memory. Torrential downpours swelled rivers beyond their banks, but the real horror came when the saturated hillside above the village could no longer hold its ground.
"It sounded like thunder, but it came from the earth itself," recalled one survivor, his voice trembling with the memory. "Then we saw it - the mountain was moving toward us."
A Community Forever Changed
The massive landslide buried homes, roads, and dreams under tonnes of mud and debris. In mere moments, 19 souls were taken - mothers, fathers, children, grandparents - leaving behind a community grappling with unimaginable loss.
Emergency services worked tirelessly in dangerous conditions, but for many, the rescue mission quickly became one of recovery. The scale of destruction was so complete that some victims were never found, their final resting place becoming the very earth that claimed them.
Healing Amid the Ruins
Today, the physical scars remain visible across the landscape. Where homes once stood, now only foundations peek through the disturbed earth. The village school, though reopened, holds empty desks that speak louder than any memorial service.
Yet amid the grief, stories of resilience emerge. Neighbours who lost everything have rebuilt together, finding strength in shared suffering. The memorial ceremony today isn't just about remembering the dead, but celebrating the community that refused to be broken.
As candles flicker in the evening light and names are read aloud, Topčić Polje stands as a testament to both human vulnerability and extraordinary courage - a village forever marked by tragedy, but determined to remember, rebuild, and endure.
