DEEP TROUBLE

‘It’s a Catastrophe!’: Nearly 60 Dead and Dozens Missing as Floods Submerge Germany

Videos showed dozens of people stranded on their rooftops in Rhineland-Palatinate.

Western Germany has been lashed with record rainfall, causing rapid floods that have reportedly killed at least 58 people and left dozens more missing. The worst of the flooding has been recorded in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, where videos showed dozens of people stranded on their rooftops. Reuters reports that homes have been swept away by the rushing water. “It’s a catastrophe! There are dead, missing, and many people still in danger. All of our emergency services are in action round the clock and risking their own lives,” said Malu Dreyer, premier of Rhineland-Palatinate. Two firefighters are among the dead in the state—one drowned and one collapsed during an attempted rescue mission. Forecasters have warned that more heavy rain is due in west and south Germany and Belgium later Thursday.