Currently, the death toll after last week's floods in Belgium has risen to 32 people on Wednesday, according to the latest update by the National Crisis Centre.
All the victims were identified by the Federal Police.
Additionally, 18 people are currently still missing or unaccounted for. "The police services are continuing their work in the field," the Centre said.
Meanwhile, 1,650 families still have no drinkable water, and 9,000 people in Pepinster and Verviers have to look for alternative accommodation, according to Alain Barbier, the chief of police for the Vesder police zone.
The Red Cross also started food distributions today, which will help some 10,000 families in the coming weeks and even months.
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The distribution started with a test in Trooz, between Liège and Pepinster. “We delivered 700 hot meals: 350 in the afternoon and 350 in the evening,” said spokesperson Jan Poté.
“Today we are scaling up to a total of 1,000 hot meals. It’s a start,” he added, explaining that the Red Cross currently works with a catering company, but expects that it will have to scale up in the near future.
“Now we also drive around with vans, but as of Thursday, these will become trucks,” Poté said. “The meals and their distribution are paid for by the resources we receive from the 2525 fund, to which more than €3.9 million has already been donated.”
For people who want to help, the easiest way is to make a donation to the Red Cross account number on BE70 0000 0000 2525.
People who want to help as a volunteer are asked to register on the Red Cross crisis volunteer platform, and not just go to the affected areas on their own initiative.
