Flood Destroys Houses, Sweeps Away Cars in Germany

By Izunna Okafor

No fewer than 20 people reportedly died while 70 others were declared missing after torrential rain triggered flash flooding which destroyed buildings and swept away homes and cars in Germany.

According to reports, four of the victims were confirmed dead as rain swept away six homes in Schuld, while another four died in flooded cellars across North Rhine-Westphalia state

Some of the victims confirmed dead include two firefighters, including including one who drowned trying to rescue people in the town of Altena on Wednesday. Another firefighter died during rescue operations at a power plant in Werdohl-Elverlingsen.

Reports also have it that one person died in the town of Rheinbach, around 20 miles south of Cologne, with the circumstances of his death still sketchy.

In connection with the flooding, another eight people were killed in the country of Euskirchen; while Police said up to 70 more people are still missing, most whom were sheltering in their homes before they were swept away as roads turned into raging torrents. 

In the western city of Koblenz, Police also said that about 50 were trapped on the roofs of their houses awaiting rescue.
 
It was also reported that a belt of cities, towns, and villages running from the east of Dortmund to south of Bonn in Germany's most-populous state of North Rhine-Westphalia were all badly hit after three months of destructive rain.