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Europe flooding: Five dead as waters rise in Germany and France | |
(about 9 hours later) | |
At least five people died on Wednesday in flooding across France and Germany, authorities say. | |
Search teams in the Bavarian town of Simbach am Inn found the bodies of three people who had been trapped in a house and a woman was found dead by a nearby stream. In central France an 86-year-old woman lost her life. | |
Dozens of towns have been inundated and people have been saved by helicopter. | |
Forecasters say waters are expected to keep rising for several days. | |
The floods are thought to have caused substantial damage. | |
In France, the town of Nemours near Paris had to be evacuated and Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said emergency workers had carried out more than 8,000 rescue operations over two days between the Belgian border and the Burgundy region. | |
The worst affected area in southern Germany is the district of Rottal Inn, where a disaster centre has been established. | The worst affected area in southern Germany is the district of Rottal Inn, where a disaster centre has been established. |
In the town of Triftern rivers and streams burst their banks, and floodwaters dragged along cars, trees and furniture from flooded homes. | In the town of Triftern rivers and streams burst their banks, and floodwaters dragged along cars, trees and furniture from flooded homes. |
In many places the water reached several metres above street level. The inhabitants, surprised by the sudden flooding, had to be rescued by helicopter. | |
However, 250 children who had been trapped in a school in Triftern over Tuesday night were able to leave the building on Wednesday evening, officials said. | |
A further 350 pupils in Simbach am Inn were also brought to safety and a refugee shelter in the town was evacuated. | |
The floods were also declared an emergency in the historic town of Passau, on the border with Austria, the scene of massive flooding three years ago. | The floods were also declared an emergency in the historic town of Passau, on the border with Austria, the scene of massive flooding three years ago. |
In nearby Pfarrkirchen more than 35 litres of water per square metre fell in the space of six hours on Wednesday, according to the German meteorological office. | In nearby Pfarrkirchen more than 35 litres of water per square metre fell in the space of six hours on Wednesday, according to the German meteorological office. |
More thunderstorms are forecast for southern Germany, and water levels on some rivers are predicted to rise further still. | More thunderstorms are forecast for southern Germany, and water levels on some rivers are predicted to rise further still. |