Floods in Europe

[Boatbuilder]

It has been very upsetting to see the news reports of the devastating floods in Europe and the tragic loss of life, paticularly Germany, and I have been thinking of the Society's members in those countries affected and hope that everyone is safe.

I am sure all of the Society's members are thinking the same.

[Anita Bensoussane]

It is upsetting to think what people have been/are going through. It's been the top news story on the BBC for the last couple of days and I too have been thinking of Society members who live in those countries and hope they and their loved ones are okay.

[Barnard]

I am wondering whether Boodi has been affected by the floods.

[Boatbuilder]

I’ve been thinking of Monique as well as Hannah and Wolfgang. I’m not sure exactly where they live in relation to the affected areas.

[Daisy]

I think Boodi and Hannah are well south of the affected area. Not sure of Wolfgang's actual location though.

[Boodi 2]

Thanks for your kind thoughts everone, much appreciated! Daisy is correct about me, we are about 400 kms.south of the disaster zone, but I thought that Hannah lives in the very north, while her parents live in the south, near lake Constance. I have no idea where Wolfgang is located, but hopefully he is OK as the reports from the affected areas are harrowing...the speed and force of the water was unbelievable and rescue workers are still finding bodies in flooded basements, so it is feared that the death toll will increase further.

[Barnard]

I’m pleased things are all right with you, Boodi, and hope that Hannah and Wolfgang are OK too.

[Lucky Star]

Germany is one of my favourite countries and I have been horrified to see the devastation vaused by these floods. I also hope that all of our forumite colleagues are safe and well.

[Boatbuilder]

Pleased to hear you are far away from the disaster zone, Monique. Hannah was on here last night and early morning so guess she is OK and Wolfgang was also on here around 6-am this morning so that's good. I hope they don't have family or friends in that area.

[Boodi 2]

Thanks John, that is good news and as you say, I hope they don't have family or friends in that area. My husband's last surviving aunt is a nun who was based in a convent at Bingen on the Rhine, where we visited her a few years ago. As she is now about 90 years old she has been moved to a care home for elderly nuns, so hopefully they have not been affected by the floods.

[Boatbuilder]

Let's hope it is somewhere safe that she was moved to, Monique.

Take care.

[Wolfgang]

Thank you for your concern.
I don't live that far away from you, Monique, if I remember correctly.
As far as I know no friends or relatives of me are affected.

[Jack400]

Pleased to hear from so many forumites that they are safe. Someone came in to work today and said that extreme weather has been predicted for New Zealand's south Island -he wasn't sure when it's expected. Down there it's winter of course.
I've just searched online seems like there's problems in Australia and N.Z. 400mm rain, strong winds and snow. Good luck out there, hope all are ok.

[Hannah]

Thank you for asking.
Yes, I'm alright - Lübeck is in the North. My parents are at the Lake of Constance. There might be a high tide coming but their house is far enough from the waterside so that even then there shouldn't be a problem.

I know people in the affected areas but they were all lucky enough. Some had no power for a while or some water in the cellar but nothing like what you see on those horrible pictures though some of them are only 2 km away from very badly affected places.

In one town 12 people died in a group home for disabled people. It seems that only one staff member was around, but in another building. Two care homes for older people had been evacuated before - at least one of those was farther away from the river. So now there are questions why that group home wasn't evacuated in advance, too, seeing that disabeld people would be especially vulnerable.
It seems that warnings weren't issued as they should or not taken seriously - not only regarding this home, of course. I hope this will be investigated to prevent a repeat as unfortunately there will be more of these disasters. I don't think we ever had a flood in Germany in the last (at least) 100 years where so many people died except for the North Sea flood of 1962.

[Barnard]

Tragedy is the only word to describe what has happened.