Severely Affected By German Floods, Several Indonesian Citizens Refuge

JAKARTA - Several Indonesian citizens (WNI) affected by floods in Germany have fled to the homes of other Indonesian citizens or local government facilities.

Based on data from the Indonesian Consulate General in Frankfurt, the Indonesian citizens who were forced to evacuate consisted of five families living in Bad Neuenahr-Ahrwelle and two families in Erfstadt (Koeln).

"Currently the condition is good and has sufficient logistics", said Director of Protection for Indonesian Citizens of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Judha Nugraha, quoted by Antara, Saturday, July 17.

Judha confirmed that until now there have been no reports of Indonesian citizens being killed as a result of the disaster.

"The Consulate General in Frankfurt continues to monitor developments in the field and seeks to assist affected Indonesian citizens", he said.

As of Friday, July 16, the death toll from severe flooding in west Germany has risen to 81.

About 1,300 people in the Ahrweiler district of southern Coeln are missing, local authorities said on Facebook. Cell phone networks in some of the flood-hit areas were cut off, leaving family and friends unable to track their relatives.

Entire communities were devastated after overflowing rivers swept away towns and villages in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate.

On Friday morning, houses in Erftstadt near Cologne were destroyed. Rescue teams struggled to help desperate residents return home despite warnings, the Koeln district government said.

German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer told Spiegel magazine the federal government plans to provide financial assistance to affected areas as soon as possible. According to him, the plan must be submitted to the cabinet for approval.