2021.07.17 08:18
I happened to have a few friends living in Belgium and Netherlands along the River Meuse which was hopelessly flooded through the week I am sure many of you saw on the national news if not international news like FRANCE 24 or BBC.
Especially the flooding through Liege/Belgium where the family of my closest friend, the late Prof. Marcel Beaujean lives made me worry so that I tried to reach through the week desperately but failed with such despair.
Indeed, through Marcel, I learned so much about Belgium and Netherlands including the relationship with Germany through WWII and I still remember Marcel took me to the bank of River Meuse to show/explain empathically how Belgians resisted to Nazi army when they invaded the area first. We drove around such a beautiful river valley on way to Spa to enjoy nature. But now this flooding wiped out everything- see the attached photos- and I have no access for the communication with them and even telephone lines are still cut off now.
So sad to watch helplessly!!!!
https://youtu.be/DY1zVbBzia0 (Please click for a video)
Belgium asks residents to quit Liege's flood-threatened riverfront
Europe floods_ Rescuers race to find survivors as hundreds remain missing - BBC News.html-x
2021.07.18 11:04
2021.07.19 07:06
Thank God, all five families I tried to reach through the week narrowly escaped from such disastrous flooding, though in such a sad shape that they now encountered after the flooding. Even the flooding along Ahr River reached all the way to Bonn leaving the damage to the yard and also the house, although I heard Northern Rhineland/Westphalia, Germany was the second-worst place after the Liege region, Belgium- see the attachment. Especially one family at Liege narrowly escaped from their beautiful house right along Meuse River- same as Maas River passing along Maastricht, Netherlands- bank though they lost everything to the flooding.
I still vividly remember such beautiful nature of those flooded areas my friend, the late Marcel Beaujean drove through to show me years ago.
BB Lee
2021.07.19 11:03
I always thought that God gives "flooding" to only the under-developed countries.
However, seeing flooding in the countries like Belgium, Netherland, and Germany,
I feel a little better that God seems to be fair at times, or was it by a mistake??
Just wonder, if you feel equally bad if it happens in Bangladesh?
The name of "Maastricht" reminds me of the famous flamboyant violinist/conductor,
"André Rieu". I hope it wasn't the same square where he conducted his performances.
2021.07.20 07:52
Yes, it was a surprise to me as well, watching this awful flood through Maas River/the Eastern Belgium and Ahr River/Westphalia, Germany I used to visit infrequently including Aachen Univ for the project. But when we drove to Spa from Liege, I was impressed to such deep gorge and mountain part and now I understamd how this flood could happen there.
Anyhow, I was surprised with many people recognizing "Maastricht" because of "André Rieu" whom I dislike due to his showmanship to ruin the image of classic music- I especially hate to see young (Philippino) girls jumping around while playing the violins- though he is relatively good violinist born at Maastricht they are proud of. Anyhow, it sounds they have a less damage than Liege- my close colleague, Cees Witten who invites me often to Maastricht to his yearly teaching course happened to live at the outskirt of Maastricht across the border on Belgian side, narrowly escaped from the flooding, he wrote me. But my wife was also wondering how much damage "Maastricht" had by this flooding because we had a unique chance to taste the foods at very fancy Beluga Restaurant-Maastricht, Michelin three-star restaurant, along Maas River bank.
BB Lee
2021.07.20 08:44
I heard one commentator at FRANCE 24 last night, lamenting on the serious damage on many Belgian Beer breweries in Liege which reminds me of my own experience with Belgian beers through the visit to Liege. Indeed, it was a unique and extraordinary experience only local boy like Marcel Beaujean, born, raised and lived through till he passed away, could arrange and I learned a lot about Belgian beer. Now this flooding would make a LONG impact on their supply so that if anyone happened to be the connoisseur of Belgian beer, it would be better to buy them now as box/case to keep at home.
BB
P.S. I know most of major cities here in the U.S. have the specialty shop/seller of various Belgian fruity beers. It goes perfect with Belgian sausage which is quite different from Polish kielbasa or German bratwurst, I learned how to enjoy from my buddy Marcel. Indeed, together with Belgian waffle- learned the difference between Brussel waffle and Liege waffle using different yeasts! –, you simply can’t miss whenever you visit to Belgium.
2021.07.24 10:14
Once again impressed to Germans to coping with this natural disaster, such disastrous flooding through Western Germany, so well and so orderly - see ‘The Eifel disaster|DW Documentary: https://youtu.be/9c_gHVimTjY’ -, not only by the local people but also by their government in such civilized way. But it was too much price to pay for such man-made Climate Change, no one would now remain doubtful except Trampists!!!!
Indeed, it looks like the beginning of what we fear, that is, ‘the nature finally got mad to the human being and started to revenge such abusing beyond it could no longer tolerate’!!!
Now, they forecast more rains and more flooding through the summer – see ‘Terrible flood | France underwater! | The earth is cracking: https://youtu.be/Y_kQeclHrfw’ throughout Europe.
BB
"Dramatic video! Craziest Flood in Germany (July 15, 2021)"
https://youtu.be/WBuqQuTfYPo
“Europe is sinking! Thousands of people are evacuated due to record floods in Belgium and Germany” https://youtu.be/4IQMFyoyXFA
"Germany is sinking! Hundreds of people were left homeless after a terrible flood"
https://youtu.be/XThRSpU8HAA
So every country is now paying the price for the 'Climate Change'!!!!
BB Lee