It has been confirmed that at least 180 people have now died in the huge floods that struck Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands over the last week. The flooding is the worst natural disaster that the countries have experienced for over half a century.
110 of those that died were killed in the Ahrweiler district south of Cologne. Authorities do however believe that many more have died and are yet to be recovered.
The huge flooding occurred after torrential rain hit North-Western Europe, with some places experiencing two months of regular rainfall in a matter of hours. The high rainfall then caused the rivers that run through the area, including the Rhine, to burst their banks and sweep away homes and businesses.
27 people are confirmed to have died in Belgium. In the German states of Rhineland Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia, communities have been cut off by the flood-water and communication, electricity and telephone lines are out of service.
In other news related to the floods, one of the forerunner candidates in the upcoming German Federal elections was caught laughing and joking on camera as current Chancellor Angela Merkel read out a solemn address speaking about the floods and the victims.
Armin Laschet, the leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), and the candidate who is expected to take the place of Angela Merkel at the top of her party when she stands down, was seen joking with those around him during the speech.
Lars Klingbeil, the general secretary of the centre-left Social Democratic party (SPD), called Laschet's behaviour:
"Lacking in decency and appalling."
Laschet later apologised in a tweet, saying:
"The fate of those affected, which we heard about in many conversations, is important to us. So I regret all the more the impression that arose from a conversational situation. That was inappropriate and I am sorry."
Scientists have already stated that the freak weather is almost certainly related to climate change. Many also suspect that the flooding may result in the German Green Party increasing its vote share in the elections.
[h/t: Al Jazeera]
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