Climate & environment

Floods

Germany's leaders warn after severe rainy weather

TT-AFP

Updated 18.31 | Published 2024-05-18 12.02

 

 

The approach to the A620 motorway in Saarbrücken is under water.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD).
1 / 2Photo: Laszlo Pinter/Dpa Via AP/TT

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited affected villages in the federal state of Saarland after the severe floods in the southwestern part of the country.

No deaths have been reported following floods and landslides.

But the social democrat Scholz stated that society must prepare better for natural disasters, after the heavy rains that moved in over parts of Europe.

- Here we can see what violent nature can cause - and how much we have to prepare for it, said Scholz.

Rescue workers had to help victims by boat as streets were under water on Saturday morning, and the city of Saarbrücken is hard hit. At least one person is said to have been injured.

Parts of the Netherlands, Belgium and France have also been affected by floods as a result of the rain.

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Afghanistan.

Afghan death toll rises in new floods

TT-AP

Updated 18.29 | Published 17.07

Many homes have been destroyed in the heavy rains that hit Afghanistan. Authorities report rising death toll. Archive image. Photo: AP/TT

Heavy rains cause new and deadly floods in Afghanistan. More than 80 people were reported killed in the northern part of the country, mainly in the northern Faryab province, on Sunday.

Over 1,500 homes were destroyed by the rains and subsequent flooding.

Authorities in the province of Ghor in western Afghanistan announced on Saturday that about the same number had died in landslides and floods.

Just over a week ago, more than 300 people were killed in a sudden heavy flood in Baghlan province in the north of the country, according to the UN and the ruling Taliban.

The unusually heavy rains come after a long period of drought, which increases the risk of flooding.