New floods have hit east and south of Germany and Austria. This time, the Bavarian region suffered, as did the Salzburg area in Austria. A warning of possible floods has also been issued elsewhere in Austria, as well as in Switzerland. Floods are still possible in the south of the Netherlands. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said that the enormous damage is difficult to describe in words. Artjoms Konohovs, a correspondent for Latvian Radio, reports in more detail from Brussels.
There are new floods in Germany and AustriaArtyom Konohov
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New heavy rains hit the Bavarian region of Germany on Sunday, as well as the Salzburg area in Austria.
Bavarian officials said the situation deteriorated sharply on Saturday night, leaving rescue services with little time to do anything.
The roads turned into rivers and the stream carried several cars. At least one person has died. Hundreds of rescuers continue to search for survivors.
In general, floods number of fatalities It has already reached 157 people in Germany. This makes this the deadliest natural disaster in Germany in almost 60 years. Officials have warned that the death toll could rise further. In Belgium, floods have killed 31 people.
There are no words in German to describe the scourge
German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited the flood-affected areas on Sunday, mostly near the border with Belgium and the Netherlands. Meeting with the population, Merkel said that there were almost no words in German that could describe the enormous damage.
“I came here with the Prime Minister of Rhineland-Palatinate to realize the real situation, which, I must say, is surreal, ghostly, simply horrific. There are no suitable words in German to describe the disaster. said Merkel.
The Chancellor also pointed out the need for a policy that takes greater account of nature and climate than has been the case so far. She also called on the population to donate money to the affected communities.
The German government plans to allocate 300 million euros for immediate assistance to the victims. It is assumed that companies could receive a lump sum of € 10,000. Another billion will be used to renovate buildings, roads and bridges, Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said.
The Belgian Prime Minister, Alexander De Cro, has also visited the cities affected by the floods, together with the President of the European Commission, Urzul von der Leien. They thanked the rescuers for the great work they continue to do to help the victims. King Philip of Belgium and Queen Matilde also went to the population in rubber boots.
Queen Matilde and King Philip (second from right) visit flood-affected areas in Belgium on 16 July.
Photo: EPA, STEPHANIE LECOCQ
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Currently, the water level has fallen, so residents and rescue services are beginning to realize the consequences. The leaders of several municipalities in Belgium indicated that they would need years to repair the damage. The water catastrophe has broken roads, carried sidewalks and overturned trees.
In the worst affected cities, people are not yet able to return to their homes. The authorities first want to make sure that the buildings are stable enough to live in. However, people are allowed to look at their properties to assess the extent of the damage.
The railways in the French-speaking Walloon region of Belgium are seriously damaged in several places. Various lines of communication are also affected. As a result, several mobile network operators are offering flood victims unrestricted access to the mobile Internet until their home connection is repaired.
In both Germany and Belgium, there is also a high response rate. Many donate clothes and various basic necessities. Donation accounts are also open.
The authorities promise to cover the expenses of the population that will not be paid by insurance companies.
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