FLOODS IN FRANCE AND GERMANY

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25380, 31 December 1947, Page 5

FLOODS IN FRANCE AND GERMANY

Saar’s Plight Described

As Grave

SNOW BLOCKS ROADS IN NORTH OF ENGLAND

(N.Z.P.A.—Reuter—Copyright) (Rec. 8 p.m.) LONDON, December 30. Rivers swollen by heavy rains and melting snows flooded towns and villages over wide areas of eastern France and western Germany yesterday, smashing bridges and closing roads and railways. . The situation in the Saar is described as grave. The Government has established rescue services. Saarbrucken and Saarlouis are isolated. The Saar river is at its highest level for 150 years. Four towns in Alsace can be reached only by boat. Parts of Nancy and Strasbourg are under water. The rivers Moselle and Meurthe have flooded thousands of homes. Floods have washed away 10 bridges on the upper Rhine. American troops have evacuated 1000 German families from Glenhausen, on the Kinzig river. Three to six inches of snow fell yesterday in Lincolnshire and across Scotland. Blizzards are reported in some districts, with snow blocking roads. Southern, central, and eastern England had crisp sunshine and cold breezes, with temperatures at some points down nearly to freezing point. Continued cold weather is forecast, with snowfalls in many parts of Britain and keen frosts.