The official death toll in Belgium after last week's floods has risen to 37, according to the latest update by the National Crisis Centre on Thursday.
So far, the Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) service of the Federal Police was able to formally identify 32 people.
"Police forces are continuing their work on the ground to find and identify missing and deceased persons," the Crisis Centre added.
Out of a total of 473 persons reported missing since last week, six people currently remain without a trace. "There is a probable sign of life for some people, but for others, there are very strong indications that they will unfortunately be among the deadly victims."
Additionally, the information number 1771, the federal and local police are still receiving reports of possible missing persons, so these figures will still fluctuate slightly, according to the Crisis Centre.
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Earlier on Thursday, divers started searching for victims in the province of Liège with the help of the DVI team, and the police services are also continuing their rescue and search missions.
However, the chance of still finding survivors among the debris is now all but non-existent, according to Alain Remue, head of Belgium's missing person unit.
Additionally, people with practical questions about what to do after their house has been flooded, or need psychological support, can also call 1771, between 9:00 AM and 6:00 PM.
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.
