Floods in Europe: Merkel at the bedside, floods in southern Germany
It is the biggest natural disaster in the country's recent history.
The death toll, still very provisional, stands at 156 dead in Germany, hundreds of injured and dozens of missing.
AFP - CHRISTOF STACHE
Text by: RFI Follow
6 mins
Angela Merkel goes this Sunday to the bedside of the survivors of the floods "of the century", which sowed desolation in Germany, killed at least 183 people in this country and in Belgium, and caused considerable damage.
If the trend is decreasing in the most affected area, the situation is deteriorating further south on the border between Germany and Austria.
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Due to heavy localized rains, floods are reported further south of the country and left one dead on the German side, local police said overnight from Saturday to Sunday.
A "disaster plan" has been decreed in the German district of Berchtesgaden and several hundred firefighters are deployed.
It is in this still tense context that the Chancellor planned to meet the inhabitants of Schuld in Rhineland-Palatinate (in the west of the country), a village described as a “
martyr
”: almost everything was destroyed there by the floods. midweek.
As rescuers continue to search for dozens of people still missing in the country and in Belgium, she should pledge state aid for reconstruction.
A government aid plan of probably several billion euros is in preparation.
There wasn't much time left.
We just took our most important documents and threw them in the car ...
Listen to the report of our special envoys in Blessem where the rescuers are hard at work
Anastasia Becchio Boris Vichith
Tens of thousands of Germans affected by flooding
The European Union has also assured its support in the face of these bad weather, which also affected the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Switzerland.
“
We Europeans are with you at this difficult time with all our hearts,
” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said during a visit to Belgium on Saturday.
Tens of thousands of Germans are affected either by the destruction of their homes, cuts in electricity, gas or telephone lines.
Not to mention the gutted roads, sunken bridges and cities under the rubble.
"
It's a real disaster, I'm upset,
" Angela Merkel said this week from the United States where she was visiting when torrential rains in the middle of the week suddenly caused flooding described by witnesses as "
tidal waves
".
-de-tide
”or“
tsunami
”.
It is the biggest natural disaster in the country's recent history.
The death toll, still very provisional, stands in Germany alone at 156 dead, hundreds injured and dozens missing.
►
To read also:
Deadly floods in Germany: the management of the criticized crisis
In the regional state of Rhineland-Palatinate alone, local police reported 110 dead in a statement, compared to 98 in the previous report.
"
It is feared that other victims will be added,
" said the police in their statement, also speaking of at least 670 people injured in this area alone.
In neighboring Belgium, where a day of national mourning is declared on Tuesday, 27 people have died to date.
Austria and the Czech Republic also on alert
In Austria, firefighters are on high alert in the Salzburg and Tyrol regions, while the old town of Hallein is under water.
“
Heavy rains and storms are unfortunately causing severe damage in several places in Austria,
” Prime Minister Sebastian Kurz tweeted.
Finally, further east, on the border between Germany and the Czech Republic, rivers also rose in the Germanic region of Saxony on Saturday evening, causing damage.
►
To read also:
In the region of Venlo in the Netherlands, the state of some dikes worries
(and with
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