In our area, as much as 200 litres of rain per square metre fell in a very short period of time. Almost all the torrents and streams in the municipality started to flood. The water began to flood buildings rapidly. Due to the enormous volume of water, even the firefighters and other volunteers were unfortunately not able to contain or divert it. A large number of landslides were triggered. The water brought with it debris (sand, stones, logs, etc.), washed away bridges and destroyed roads.
Our house is a kilometre away from a stream. On that day, my daughter and I were on our weekend at the Kolpa river. When I saw on the news on my phone that a storm had hit our town, I quickly called my friend to ask her about the actual situation. "Maja, there is a lot of water everywhere. I couldn't even go to work this morning because the fire brigade stopped me. They are closing the roads because of the flooding," she replied. I was shocked. I could not go home because the roads were closed.
I called my neighbours to see if they could check the situation at home. I live on the ground floor of the house and I was worried that water would get into my flat. Fortunately, the situation should be bearable. "There is a lot of water around the house, but fortunately your flat is dry. Don't worry."
Somehow I managed to calm down, although I spent the whole day frantically reading information about the catastrophic situation in Slovenia.
The next morning, while I was calmly drinking coffee by the Kolpa river, my phone rang. It was my brother, who had returned home from holiday that day. "Pack your things quickly. You'll have to come home. Your flat is ruined." Kaaaaaay? I couldn't believe it. Tears were streaming down my cheeks, my heart was pounding ...
As I drove home from Dolenjska, I watched the water destroy the landscape, and with a lump in my throat I fought with my thoughts.
My flat was destroyed by silt intrusion. The furniture, the floors, the doors... Nothing could be saved. It was all for scrap. All that was left was an empty space; full of dirt and with a musty smell.
A few days later, her friend Neža came to visit my daughter and me. At that time we were cleaning the floor, which was covered with mud. All the grooves in the tiles had been filled with mud, which had dried and stuck together. We tried sponges. It didn't work. With various cleaners. Again, nothing. Neza offered to help. "Come on, Mom, zrihtale We will."
We each took a brush and started cleaning grout after grout. We put on some music and the hours ticked by. Fifty square metres. It doesn't sound like much, but when you're cleaning with a little brush, it takes a lot of time. It was a testament to perseverance. I cannot tell you how grateful I was for their help. The time passed quickly as we chatted and laughed.
Towards evening, we just collapsed on the ground, on clean ground.
The aftermath of the floods left me without furniture, comfort and a sense of security, but they gave me something else; gratitude for the people who selflessly stood by me, who offered their help and support in difficult moments.
Sometimes life doesn't go according to plan. Thank you all for helping me and giving me hope that I can start again, and for making me feel that I am not alone in this. A sense of community, of compassion, of human warmth - that's what counts.
Maja Grošelj, 1. 6. 2025
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