German emergency workers were Saturday starting a major clean-up after heavy rains triggered massive flooding in the southwest of the country, while parts of Belgium and the Netherlands were also hit.
A huge downpour Friday in the German state of Saarland deluged buildings, left streets deep underwater and sparked evacuations, with rescuers carrying stranded residents to safety in boats.Officials said it was the worst flooding in the area in 30 years. No deaths were reported.
In Belgium, the province of Liege was hit by severe flooding overnight into Saturday, its governor said. In the Dutch province of Limburg, two campsites were evacuated early Saturday as they were threatened by rising floodwaters, officials said. Experts say climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of floods. afp