Western Europe Flooding: Hundreds Missing, at Least 69 Dead

Historic rain that resulted in serious flooding has led to numerous fatalities in western Europe. As of Thursday, several people are still missing.

Over 60 fatalities have been recorded. Such severe flooding turned streets and streams into ravaging torrents that resulted in the the collapse of houses and sweeping away of vehicles. Among the fatalities were two firefighters participating in rescue efforts throughout the region and nine residents of an assisted living facility for people with disabilities.

Unusual Heavy Rainfall

Unusual heavy rains inundated the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Belgium. The latter had at least four reported fatalities. Such individuals were ordered to flee a riverbank in one city. Four people in the three such European nations were reported dead and people were ordered to vacate a riverbank in one city.

Since the World War II, Germany is currently experiencing one of the worst weather disasters. Distressed residents went up to their hourses' roofs while rescue helicopters circled above.

During her visit to Washington, German Chancellor Angela Merkel symphatized with the victims of the flooding.

Merkel added her thoughts were with all people who lost their loved ones or are still abiding by rescue operations as she spoke alongside United States President Joe Biden at the White House.

On Thursday, Dutch authorities commanded 10,000 residents of adjacent villages in Maastricht City to flee homes along the river of Maastricht as rainy weather prevailed in western Europe. The weather is also dubbed as the low pressure zone "Bernd."

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima paid a visit to the devastated town of Valkenburg. It is located east of Maastricht. This was where floodwaters had swamped businesses and houses, reported DW.

The latest storms throughout parts of western Europe made reservoirs and rivers burst their banks. This resulted in flash floods overnight following the saturated soil not being able to soak up water, reported CBC.

When the water began dwindling, stunned residents in the worst affected towns looked over what was left of their neighborhoods and houses. Houses in Schuld were reduced to piles of broken beams and scraps. Roads were barred by fallen trees and wreckage. On puddles of water, fishes flapped.

Aklaus Radermacher, a resident in Schuld for 60 years, said, "We have had two or three days of constant rain. Or maybe four, I lost track. I saw the pizza store getting flooded, half an hour later the bakery was flooded. There is a camping ground up there so caravans and campervans came floating past, gas tanks," reported Business Times.

Search operations were hindered by phone and internet outages and barred roads across the Eifel, which is a volcanic region. A number of villagers were diminished to rubble as timber houses and old brick could not resist the abrupt rush of water. Such water often carries trees and other debris.