Dozens killed, many missing as devastating floods sweep through Germany

The death toll in Germany from the worst flooding in over 200 years rose to at least 21 as dozens of people are still missing, police said Thursday.

This was also confirmed by a BBC report which disclosed that the worst of the flooding has been in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, where a lot of people have been waiting on rooftops to be rescued.

At least 30 people are missing in the hilly Eifel region after several homes collapsed.

Much of the flooding was triggered when the Ahr river, which flows into the Rhine, burst its banks south of Bonn.

Malu Dreyer, chief of the Rhineland-Palatinate state, described the flooding as a “catastrophe”.

“There are dead, missing and many people still in danger,” she said. “All of our emergency services are in action round the clock and risking their own lives.”

READ ALSO: Nigerian govt proposes one-year timeframe for full return of stolen artifacts from Germany

Dreyer’s comments were echoed by Armin Laschet, premier of North Rhine-Westphalia and the conservative candidate to succeed Chancellor Angela Merkel who toured the crisis-hit region earlier in the day.

Meanwhile, Merkel also expressed shock over the deadly floods in Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia.

“I am shocked by the disaster that so many people have to suffer in the flood areas. My condolences go out to the relatives of the dead and missing. I thank the many tireless helpers and emergency services from the bottom of my heart,” she tweeted.

Police helicopters and the army have been deployed to some areas to help stranded residents.

Some schools have been closed, while rail and road transport links have been severely disrupted around the west of the country.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now