The number of deaths in Germany rises to 165 due to the record rains and subsequent floods that hit the country. This was reported by the German authorities, while rescuers continue the search for the missing in the cities affected by bad weather. In some areas, the police deployed speedboats and divers to recover the bodies.
The German Interior Ministry, Horst Seehofer, is visiting Rhineland-Palatinate after the terrible storm that hit the region and will visit a hospital in Ahrweiler. The visit follows yesterday’s visit by Chancellor Angela Merkel. Seehofer will meet with emergency services in North Rhine-Westphalia at the Steinbach dam after fears of a collapse. According to the fire brigade in Euskirchen, no structural damage emerged from the inspection carried out by a police helicopter.
“The water continues to be pumped,” a spokesperson in Dusseldorf told the DPA while awaiting expert opinion on the water level after homes in Swisttal and Rheinbach, two locations close to the dam, were evacuated as a precaution.
THE SITUATION IN BELGIUM
In Belgium, the flood toll has risen to 36 deaths after heavy rains. This was announced by the radio station Rtbf explaining that 17 people have been identified. Instead, 163 people are still missing, according to official data. Furthermore, 1,100 families are still without water, while 3,700 are without drinking water.
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