Western European floods leave at least 170 dead

Western European floods leave at least 170 dead

Kanako Mita and Sawako Utsumi

Modern Tokyo Times

Western European floods are known to have killed at least 170 people. In Germany, the figure is now 133 deaths. Hence, search and rescue missions are ongoing in several nations, notably in areas hit the hardest in Belgium and Germany.

Record downpours have especially hit parts of Germany hard and the death toll is also rising in Belgium. The nations of Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Switzerland have also been affected by the Western European floods. Therefore, the final death toll is likely to be higher because many people remain missing.

The BBC reports, “European leaders have blamed climate change for the floods, which have also affected Switzerland, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.”

Lee Jay Walker says, “However, thorough research is needed because floods and the enormous loss of life resulted because of the sheer power of nature in distant history. For example, two floods hit Western Europe in 1651 that led to the deaths of approximately 15,000 people. Similarly, other floods in history, including the All Saints Day Flood of 1436, killed 180 people in the small village of Tetenbull (North Frisian region). Therefore, the impact of growing populations – modern encroachment on rivers and so forth – all need to be evaluated along with the severity of the downpours in the latest flood to hit Western Europe.”

In Germany, the areas of North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Saarland especially witnessed horrendous downpours. Concerns remain over the Steinbachtal dam in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Voice of America reports, “At least 133 people have died in the flooding, including some 90 people in the Ahrweiler district south of Cologne, according to police estimates on Saturday. Hundreds of people are still missing.”

It is known that at least 27 people have perished in Belgium. Hence, Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said the recent floods could be “the most catastrophic our country has ever seen.”

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57871308

https://www.voanews.com/europe/german-floods-kill-least-133-search-survivors-continues

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