WEST GERMANY: FLOODING IN BONN AFTER RHINE BURSTS ITS BANKS

Record ID: 565945

  • Title: WEST GERMANY: FLOODING IN BONN AFTER RHINE BURSTS ITS BANKS
  • Date: 8th December 1965
  • Summary: FLOODS IN BONN WITH WATER CLOSE TO THE BUNDESHOUSE, AND A BOAT ROWING THROUGH FLOODED AREA. Initials DE/V/BHH/OS Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 23rd December 1965 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BONN, WEST GERMANY
  • Country: Germany
  • Reuters ID: LVA2COEUF5TZDU2LG0GU5POWYLHL
  • Story Text: THERE HAS BEEN WIDESPREAD FLOODING IN WEST GERMANY AND FRANCE FOLLOWING PROLONGED RAIN AND AN ONSET OF A THAW IN MOUNTAIN AREAS. ONE OF THE AREAS MOST AFFECTED IS THE RHINE VALLEY - A VITAL TRANSPORT CORRIDOR FOR THE INDUSTRIAL AREAS OF CENTRAL EUROPE. IN THE WEST GERMAN CAPITAL, BONN, FLOODWATER WAS LAPPING CLOSE TO THE ENTRANCE TO THE BUNDESHOUSE - THE PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS.

    THE FLOODING BECAME SERIOUS ON TUESDAY WHEN A FLOODWAVE ON THE RHINE RAISED THE LEVEL OF THE RIVER 5 METRES (17 FEET) ABOVE NORMAL. COMMUNITIES ALL ALONG THE RHINE WERE QUICKLY INUNDATED. TWO CHILDREN WERE DROWNED IN BAVARIA.

    IN BONN STEEL PLATING AND SHEETS OF RUBBER WERE ERECTED AROUND THE BUNDESHOUSE AND OTHER IMPORTANT PUBLIC BUILDINGS TO HOLD BACK THE WATER. AT THE HEIGHT OF THE FLOOD THE WATER APPROACHED TO WITHIN 2 METRES (6 1/2 FEET) OF THE DOORS OF THE PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS.

    (OTHER IMPORTANT RIVERS IN FLOOD WERE THE SEINE - WHICH OVERFLOWED ONTO THE QUAYS IN PARIS, AND THE GARONNE, THREATENING VILLAGES IN SOUTHWESTERN FRANCE).
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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