Floods Hit Western Europe, Spread Feared in Netherlands and France... Six Times More Rainfall Than Heavy Rain Standard (Summary)

Stagnant Low Pressure over Mid-Rhine Causes Heavy Rainfall... "Heavy Rain Possible Anywhere"
Up to 160ℓ of Rain per 1㎡... Levee Breaches and Flooding Occur in Multiple Areas

On the 15th (local time), a campsite in the city of Roermond, Limburg Province, southeastern Netherlands, was flooded by a river swollen from heavy rain. On the same day, 67 people died and about 70 went missing due to heavy rain in the middle reaches of the Rhine River, located at the border area between Germany and Belgium, and the damage is spreading to neighboring countries downstream of the Rhine River, including the Netherlands and France. Roermond (Netherlands) = AFP·Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Heavy rains over the Rhine River, the largest river in Western Europe, have caused large-scale casualties, with 67 people dead and more than 70 missing in Germany and Belgium. There are concerns that the damage could spread to neighboring countries downstream of the Rhine, such as the Netherlands and France.

According to the British BBC on the 15th (local time), heavy rains poured over the midstream areas of the Rhine River, including Westphalia in western Germany and Li?ge in Belgium, flooding cities and causing dozens of deaths. So far, 59 people have died in Germany and 8 in Belgium. With over 70 people missing in Germany alone, the death toll is expected to rise sharply.

The cause of this flood is attributed to the collapse of embankments due to massive rainfall caused by a stagnant low-pressure system over the midstream area of the Rhine River since the previous day. According to The New York Times (NYT), the standard for heavy rain in Europe is rainfall exceeding 25 liters per square meter, but in the areas most affected by this heavy rain, up to 160 liters per square meter?more than six times the heavy rain standard?were recorded.

Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor currently visiting the United States, expressed shock at the humanitarian disaster during a press conference after being briefed on the flood, emphasizing, "We will do our best to save lives and prevent further risks and alleviate suffering."

As strong winds accompanied by heavy rain are expected to continue in the affected areas, concerns are rising that the damage will expand not only in Germany and Belgium but also to the Netherlands and France, located downstream along the Rhine River.

Andreas Friedrich, spokesperson for the German Meteorological Agency, told CNN in an interview, "In some affected areas, an unprecedented amount of rain not seen in 100 years fell, and in some regions, rainfall was concentrated at more than twice the usual amount, causing floods and building collapses," adding, "Heavy rain can still fall anywhere."