Chancellor Angela Merkel to tour flood-ravaged western Germany as death toll tops 150

Chancellor Angela Merkel will visit western Germany on Sunday, as floodwaters continue to sweep through the Western European country. More than 150 people have been killed across Germany after rainfall triggered floods last week. On Saturday, a tabloid, Bild am Sonntag, reported that the chancellor will tour the province of Rhineland-Palatinate, where gushing streams have obliterated houses, bridges and highways.

Later, a spokesperson of the interior ministry of the province disclosed that the visit will take place in the afternoon. Merkel, who recently returned from the US after holding a meeting with President Joe Biden, announced full support for those affected. As the Bundestag continues to call for permanent assistance for the affected states, the leader reckoned that all the victims will receive short and long-form financial support.

On Saturday, the German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, toured the town of Erftstadt in the province of North-Rhine Westphalia to survey damage by a massive landslide. Additionally, Armin Laschet, who is a candidate to replace Merkel, also visited several affected areas. However, he received massive flak after videos of him joking with his colleagues was flashed on several news channels.  

More than 1300 people missing

According to Associated Press, over 1300 people are reportedly missing due to the floods across western Germany.  About 850 troops of the German military have been deployed in the affected areas. More than 700 people were evacuated late Friday after a dam broke near the town of Wassenberg, close to the Dutch border, according to Deutsche Presse-Agentur.

German weather service spokesman Andreas Friedrich told CNN that some of the areas have not witnessed this much rainfall in the last 100 years. According to the German Weather department, the rains are said to continue until Thursday, causing severe hindrances to rescue operations.

The footage aired, on Thursday, of the devastation caused by the heavy rainfall showed that the rescue operations team and first responders efforts were hampered due to the water-clogged roads. The floods in Germany have also wreaked havoc in the countries of Luxembourg, the Netherland and Belgium.

Image: AP