At least 43 people have died after severe flooding in western Germany, and many more are still missing. Rainfall in parts of western Europe caused major rivers to burst their banks. The worst of the flooding has been in Germany’s Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia states, where buildings and cars have been washed away. And, at least 6 others have died in neighbouring Belgium. In Germany, police helicopters and hundreds of soldiers have been deployed to help stranded residents, with reports people have been waiting on rooftops to be rescued. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is in the US ahead of a meeting with President Joe Biden, described the floods as a “catastrophe”. ” I mourn for those who have lost their lives in this catastrophe – we do not yet know these numbers, but there will be many,” she said.