Floods in Germany and Belgium leave 60 dead with many missing

Heavy rainfall and floods are becoming more common. Germany and Belgium are grappling with the problem, with at least 60 deaths reported already. Most of them are Germans, and the figures could rise. Only last week, flash floods in New York City threw lives in disarray. On the situation in Germany, Sky News says Chancellor Angela Merkel described it as a "catastrophe" and expressed solidarity with those affected by the flooding.

Her words were: "I grieve for those who have lost their lives in this disaster."

The floodwaters and landslides left many places isolated and hampered travel. Several homes collapsed, and stranded people went to the roofs, where they had to keep waiting for rescue teams to arrive. The authorities sent inflatable boats and helicopters while the army deployed soldiers to extend assistance in the rescue operations. The absence of connectivity for phone and internet connections worsened the situation. There was no trace of many people, and Chancellor Merkel assured prompt action to locate them.

The floods left behind a trail of destruction

There were damaged properties with the collapse of houses, uprooted trees, and debris floating around in the waters. Vehicles, irrespective of size, were on the streets in precarious conditions. Once the floodwaters began to recede, they left behind dead bodies. In Germany, power outages and repairs to electrical substations posed problems because the floodwaters blocked the roads. In Belgium, there was an evacuation of residents from more than 1,000 homes. Sky News quotes weather experts saying the region received unprecedented rains in the past 24 hours. A political party blamed the floods on global warming. Its parliamentary leader told a media outlet: "This is already the impact of the Climate catastrophe, and this is another wake-up call to make us realize: this is already here." The subject of climate change has been discussed at various international forums, and world leaders have agreed to take suitable steps to tackle this threat.

Rivers burst their banks due to the floods

The German weather service DWD issued a warning of extreme weather in certain areas. The authorities deployed the army to rescue residents stranded in the floods. It was also necessary to move out the evacuees to safety and make arrangements to check the gush of water as the rivers burst their banks. Sky News mentions the city of Hagen that declared a state of emergency. It was because the river Volme burst its banks. Failure of lifts in a hospital because of floodwaters meant the evacuation of the inmates. The rain and floods disrupted travel by rail, road, and river. There was the suspension of shipping on the River Rhine. Incidentally, floods in 2002 killed 21 people in eastern Germany and many more across Central Europe.

Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands were affected by the floods

According to the BBC, record rainfall caused rivers to burst their banks. The floods affected Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Reports say some houses are cut-off and it is not possible to reach them by boat. There are forecasts of more heavy rainfall, and local officials attribute it to climate change. Armin Laschet is the premier of North Rhine-Westphalia. He has blamed the extreme weather on global warming while on a visit to a hard-hit area. In the opinion of experts, climate change could increase the frequency of extreme weather events.