Flash flood chaos in Europe: DOZENS dead across Germany and Belgium and scores more missing as buildings are destroyed and families left trapped

 

• Torrential downpours struck parts of Europe overnight, triggering flash flooding after days of heavy rain
• 30 people died in Germany alone with 70 missing across North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhine Palatinate states
• Town of Schuld, south of Bonn, particularly hard-hit after six homes were swept away and others damaged 
• Four people reported dead in Belgium while a 15-year-old girl is missing after floods in the country's east
• Evacuations  also underway in Netherlands, Switzerland and Luxembourg after rivers burst their banks 

 

Dozens of people have died and at least 70 are missing after torrential rain triggered flash flooding across Europe overnight - with homes and cars swept away in Germany and parts of Belgium.

 

The hardest-hit was western Germany where at least 30 people were killed, spread across its most-populous state of North Rhine-Westphalia and neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate.

 

The town of Schuld, south of Bonn, was particularly badly affected - with at least four killed and dozens more missing when the Ahr river burst its banks and swept away six homes even as people sheltered on their rooftops. 

 

Eight people also died in the Euskirchen region while two firefighters were killed elsewhere during rescue efforts, with 300 soldiers deployed to help rescue teams today along with helicopters and inflatable boats.

 

Malu Dreyer, premier of Rhineland-Palatinate state, described the situation as 'a catastrophe', adding: 'There are dead, missing and many still in danger. Our emergency services are in action... and risking their own lives.' 

 

In Belgium, at least four people died including two men who were swept away in the flooding while a 15-year-old girl was also reported missing. Ten houses collapsed in the municipality of Pepinster after the river Vesdre flooded, with residents evacuated from more than 1,000 homes.

 

'We have rarely experienced such intense flooding. You have to go back to 1998 to have experienced this,' mayor of nearby Chaudefontaine Daniel Bacquelaine told RTL radio. 

 

Residents of South Limburg, in the Netherlands, also had to be evacuated after flooding there overnight, though no casualties were reported. 

 

Flooding also hit Switzerland as rivers burst their banks, while similar scenes played out in Luxembourg. French forecasters also issued severe weather warnings for the east of the country today. 

 

 

GERMANY: The village of Schuld (pictured) was partially destroyed by flooding overnight that swept away six homes killing at least four people - though dozens more have been reported missing 

GERMANY: Schuld was badly damaged after the Ahr river which flows around it burst its banks, sending torrents of water through the streets which then swept away houses and cars 

BELGIUM: A woman wades through a flooded street in Liege after heavy rains hit the area and caused widespread flooding

BELGIUM: People evacuate their flooded homes in the city of Liege, Belgium, after torrential rains left their street underwater

NETHERLANDS: The fire brigade evacuate people from their homes in South Limburg, the Netherlands, after towns were flooded amid torrential rain

SWITZERLAND: The village square of Stansstad, near the city of Lucerne, is seen underwater with residents forced to walk across raised platforms after heavy rain hit Europe

A car is seen covered in rubble in the German town of Hagen, south of Dortmund, after it was hit by flooding overnight

Damaged cars are seen along a street in Hagen, western Germany, after flooding washed tons of rubble down the street

Damaged houses are seen along the Ahr river in Insul, western Germany, after it broke its banks overnight

Due to heavy rain falls the Ahr river dramatically went over its banks overnight Wednesday, demolishing nearby homes

A damaged car is seen in Insul at the Ahr river, western Germany, after being swept away in the flood

 

A car rests on its roof after being swept away in floodwaters at Insul, on the banks of the Ahr river, Germany

 

 

An overturned tractor and wrecked Mercedes are among debris left strewn through the city of Schuld after it was hit by floods

 

Read More, See More Here: Daily Mail