London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 31, 2025

Death Count Rises To 200 In Europe Floods

Death Count Rises To 200 In Europe Floods

Heavy rains last week sent floodwaters sweeping through towns and villages, mostly in Belgium and Germany, where Chancellor Angela Merkel visited victims in one of the hardest-hit areas.

Belgium fell silent for a minute of remembrance Tuesday as it held a day of mourning for the victims of the devastating floods that left 200 dead in western Europe.

Heavy rains last week sent floodwaters sweeping through towns and villages, mostly in Belgium and Germany, where Chancellor Angela Merkel visited victims in one of the hardest-hit areas.

At least 31 people were killed in Belgium, with dozens still missing or unaccountable, while Germany on Tuesday increased its death toll to 169 as rescuers scoured the rubble for victims.

The number of missing in Belgium has fallen over the past two days as telephone contact is re-established and more people are traced.

The clean-up is still under way to help the regions hit hardest recover from the destruction that saw dozens of homes collapsed and cars piled on top of each other.

Waters have subsided since Friday but workers and volunteers face a mammoth task to clear away the detritus and help local residents rebuild their shattered lives.

Belgium's King Philippe and Queen Mathilde paid their respects at the fire station in Verviers, one of the hardest-hit towns.

The moment of silence took place after sirens sounded in fire stations across the country, with buses, trams and metro trains halted in Brussels.

The Belgian tricolour was flown at half-mast on official buildings, as was the star-spangled flag of the European Union around the bloc's headquarters in the capital.

The commemorations were held on the eve of Belgium's national holiday. The city of Brussels has cancelled its "National Ball" and the city of Namur, capital of Wallonia, has cancelled its fireworks display.

This is the first time since 2016 that Belgium has observed a national mourning when three days were declared following the March 22 attacks claimed by the Islamic State group, which killed 32 people and injured more than 340 in Brussels.

'Speechless'


In neighbouring Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel met victims of the deluge still struggling to come to terms with the losses in the ravaged medieval town of Bad Munstereifel.

The damage is "appalling... Many houses are no longer habitable," she said, describing "people who have lost everything".

The city has been "so badly hit that it really leaves you speechless".

She was accompanied by Armin Laschet, the regional head and pick from Merkel's CDU party to replace her as chancellor at elections in September.

The number of people missing in the country remains unclear, mainly because of disrupted communication networks.

As the scale of the flood disaster became clearer, questions mounted in Germany about whether enough was done to warn residents ahead of time.

The German government on Monday pledged to improve the country's under-fire warning systems as a spokeswoman admitted that the tragedy had shown authorities "need to do more and better".

Although meteorological services had forecast torrential rain and flash floods, many residents said they were caught off-guard by rapidly rising waters.

The disaster has catapulted climate change to the top of the agenda in Germany, ahead of the September polls that will mark the end of Merkel's 16 years in power.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
×