EU Chief executive tells flood-hit Belgians ‘Europe is with you’

Belgium.  Jul 17 (UNI) European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited two Belgian villages on Saturday to see for herself the devastation left by deluge and promise residents EU help.

“I told them: Europe is with you. We are with you in mourning and we will be with you in rebuilding,” she tweeted after walking the debris-littered streets of Rochefort and Pepinster.

Von der Leyen said her heart ached as she met people who had lost their homes and lifetime savings to floodwater. The Belgian crisis center estimates that 24 people had died in the floods, and this figure is expected to rise.

“I am sad and I am shocked to see the destruction. We spoke with residents, and I must say I’m so very impressed, and I admire the courage and the composure they have,” she told reporters at the scene.

The EU boss said that she had activated the European Civil Protection Mechanism to tackle the floods, deploying some 170 rescuers to Belgium alongside with helicopters and boats.