World death toll rises to 183 in Europe

The most affected country Germany, So far 156 deaths have been confirmed, with about 1,300 missing In the west of the country, only in one district south of Cologne.

Known so far:

• 156 people died Germany (110 in Rhineland-Palatinate and 46 in North Rhine-Westphalia)
• 1,300 missing in Ahreweiler district of northern Rhine-Westphalia, 40 km south of Cologne
• 27 died and at least 20 were missing Belgium
• 114,000 homes without electricity Germany, According to the country’s largest distribution company

Disaster is already being considered Germany Since 1962 (when floods in the North Sea killed about 340 people) and The heaviest rainfall in the country in a century.

The Elbe River floods, declared the “flood of a century” in 2002, killed 21 people in East Africa. Germany And more than 100 across Europe.

This year the rains have also been affected Belgium, Where 27 died and 20 were missing, e Holland, France e Luxembourg At low intensity.

The number of victims is likely to increase further On Friday (16) landslides and houses were washed away by rivers or collapsed.

In part pictures, published by Cologne district officials Germany, Show a ditch formed by a large landslide that dragged soil and debris (See above).

Ann Germany, The most affected cities and towns are on the course of the Ahr River, Which is born almost on the border Belgium And flows into the Rhine River. The Ahr River Valley is famous for its red wine production, and the most important town in the region is Bad Nunehr-Ahrwheiler.

Ann BelgiumThe worst affected area is Wallonia, whose main city is Liege. The biggest damage is in cities and towns across the Muse River, which rises France, Passes through the country and enters Holland, And from the Westray River, near the border Germany.

Cities most affected by the rains:

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier made the call on Friday A firm commitment to the fight against climate change He said that This is the only alternative to prevent extreme weather events such as heavy rains that are punishing the country.

“Only if we are committed to the fight against climate change will we be able to control the extreme weather conditions we are currently experiencing,” Steinmeier said in a statement in which he said he was “deeply devastated” by the tragedy.

President Angela Merkel said on Thursday that extreme weather was changing frequently and that action was needed to control global warming. “Small rivers turned into flood and catastrophic streams.”

1,300 missing in Germany

Heavy flooding in the west Germany They turned the streets into rivers with violent currents, which “smashed” cars, uprooted trees, and demolished some buildings.

Rivers overflow, and whole communities collapse after hitting cities and towns, The German states of the North Rhine-Westphalia and the Rhineland-Palatinate.

German authorities have confirmed that 1,300 people are “unregistered” in the Ahweiler district alone, about 40 km south of Cologne.

It is not yet known how many people are in communication problems and how many more are affected.

At Erfstad, local officials said on a social networking site that “houses were mostly destroyed and some collapsed.” “Missing many.”

Houses collapsed Rescue workers try to evacuate villagers by boat or helicopter as roads around the city are impassable. After being destroyed by water.

One dam overflowed near the Belgian border and the other was stabilized.

About 4,500 people were evacuated from downstream communities and part of the A61 road was closed amid fears that structures might collapse.

Another 700 were evacuated from a part of the German city of Wassenberg on the Netherlands border after a dam on the Ruhr River broke.