More than 100 deaths confirmed Flooding disaster: Number of dead rises
Bonn · The bodies of more than 100 flood victims have been recovered so far in NRW and Rhineland-Palatinate. The destruction caused by the natural disaster continues to grow. But there is an outpouring of solidarity: 1,000 Bonn residents have offered to take in those left homeless by the floods.
The number of victims from the flooding disaster in western Germany continues to rise. By Friday afternoon, 106 deaths had been confirmed. At least 63 people were killed in the Ahr valley in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, according to official figures, and in North Rhine-Westphalia there were at least 43 deaths. Seven people were killed in Rheinbach and Swisttal, and 24 in the Euskirchen district. Many were still missing in both states. The exact number of missing persons was unclear, as all communication remained cut off in many places. More than 100,000 people are still without power.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier spoke of a tragedy. "This leaves me absolutely stunned," he said in Berlin on Friday. He said his thoughts were with the bereaved families of the victims. "Their suffering affects me deeply." He also said that the fight against climate change must be taken on decisively - only then can such extreme weather be kept in check. German Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) is considering a visit to the disaster area in Rhineland-Palatinate soon. She is in talks with the state government about it, according to Steffen Seibert, a spokesman for the federal government.
On Friday, NRW State Premier Armin Laschet (CDU) called it a "flood disaster of historic proportions". It is feared that the number of victims will continue to rise. His counterpart from Rhineland-Palatinate, Malu Dreyer (SPD), called the situation "still extremely critical in our state."
Pope Francis has assured the flood victims of his solidarity. "He prays especially for the many missing, for the injured and for all those who have come to harm or lost their livelihoods due to the forces of nature," said a telegram signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin.
Following an appeal by the city of Bonn for private persons to offer accommodation to those left homeless because of the flooding, the city received offers of help from more than 1,000 people. Many private individuals wanted to take in up to three flood victims, and hotels offered to provide up to 50 double rooms, the city reported. "We are overwhelmed by the variety and the abundance of offers. We don't need any more at the moment," said Mayor Katja Dörner.
The retention walls and dams of the reservoirs in North Rhine-Westphalia have withstood the strain caused by the extreme rainfall of the past few days. "The reservoir dams in North Rhine-Westphalia, with the exception of the Steinbach dam, are stable and undamaged," Laschet said after a cabinet meeting in Düsseldorf. At the Steinbach dam, however, there is still a threat of the dam breaching. Because of that, several villages in the danger zone have been evacuated.
In Erftstadt-Blessem, massive landslides led to a dramatic situation on Friday. Craters began to form in the ground. According to the latest information, three residential buildings and part of the historic castle collapsed. Along the Autobahn 1 from Cologne going towards the Eifel, more than 40 meters of the hard shoulder had fallen into the river Erft. A piece of the noise protection wall also broke away. Cars were not on that stretch of autobahn at that time as it had been closed off to all traffic.
In the flooded areas along the Ahr and Swist rivers, recovery and cleanup work continued on Friday. In North Rhine-Westphalia, 23 cities and counties have been affected by flooding, according to the Federal Office for Population and Disaster Control (BBK) in Bonn. In Rhineland-Palatinate, the district of Ahrweiler is the focus of the disaster, at least 362 people were injured here, according to police in Koblenz.
(Orig. text: GA / Translation: Carol Kloeppel)
