Germany: Floods hit Bavaria, European death toll at 183

Southern Germany was hit by flash floods on Sunday. This resulted in at least one casualty. There have been more than 180 deaths in Europe so far.

The Berchtesgadener Land district in Bavaria, which borders Austria, became the latest region to be hit by record rainfall and ensuing floods. Sunday's death brought Germany's death toll to 156 in its worst natural disaster in almost six decades, and the European toll to 183.

Ahrweiler district has been the worst-hit due to the floods. About 110 people have been killed. Police say that more bodies are expected to be found there as the floodwaters recede.

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The European floods, which began on Wednesday, have mainly hit the German states of Rhineland Palatinate, North Rhine-Westphalia as well as parts of Belgium. Entire communities have been cut off, without power or communications.

At least 45 people have died in North Rhine-Westphalia. Death toll in Belgium is at 27.

Finance Minister Olaf Scholz told weekly newspaper Bild am Sonntag that the German government will be readying more than 300 million Euros (USD 354 million) in immediate relief and billions of Euros to fix collapsed houses, streets and bridges

"There is huge damage and that much is clear: those who lost their businesses, their houses, cannot stem the losses alone," he said.

There could also be a 10,000 euro short-term relief payment for small businesses affected by the impact of the floods as well as the COVID-19 pandemic, Economy Minister Peter Altmaier told the paper.

Scientists have long said that climate change will lead to heavier downpours. But determining its role in these relentless rainfalls will take several weeks to research at least, scientists said on Friday.

(With inputs from agencies)