Climate Change to Blame as Flash Floods Wreak Havoc Across Germany, Belgium, and Netherlands
At least 58 people have died, and many more remain missing in Germany after catastrophic flooding caused by record rainfall in western Europe. The flooding, described as unprecedented by weather experts, has devastated parts of Germany, Belgium, France, and the Netherlands.
Germany’s Environment Minister pointed to climate change as a factor in the disaster, which saw buildings destroyed, cars overturned, and people stranded on rooftops. Chancellor Angela Merkel, speaking from Washington, expressed shock and grief, with the full scale of the disaster still unfolding. “Heavy rain and flooding” didn’t fully capture the scale of the devastation, she remarked.
In Germany’s Eifel mountains, the town of Schuld reported 70 missing residents after multiple houses collapsed overnight. Locals like 65-year-old Edgar Gillessen described the scene as “catastrophic,” with homes, businesses, and essential infrastructure destroyed.
In Belgium, France, and the Netherlands, the storm also caused significant damage, with reports of eight deaths. The ongoing recovery efforts focus on rescuing survivors and locating those still unaccounted for.
