Scholz puts on rubber boots to survey the damage caused by flash floods and landslides.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz with Saarland Governor Anke Rölinger in Kleinblittersdorf Photo: IRIS MARIA MAURER/AFP

Chancellor Olaf Scholz toured the rain hit parts of southwestern Germany, where rivers overflowed and caused flash floods and landslides.

Heavy downpours on Friday in the German state of Saarland flooded buildings, left streets deep under water and forced the evacuation of rescue workers. transport stranded residents to safety by boat.

German rescuers began a massive clean-up operation on Saturday.

Officials said it was the worst flooding in the area in nearly 30 years. , with the capital Saarbrücken heavily damaged and a dam break reportedly shutting down a power plant in the state.

No deaths were reported, but at least one person was injured.

>< img src="/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/bf826a2c10603ea0e01b7b311d1f792c.jpg" />A blocked road in the flood-hit town of Kleinblittersdorf Photo: IRIS MARIA MAURER/AFP

Mr Scholz canceled his election bid while campaigning in Saarland, on the French border, and instead wore rubber boots as he walked along part of the flooded road in the village of Kleinblittersdorf together with the regional governor, Anke Rölinger.

Visiting a village in the affected area, he said: “Here we see what violence nature can cause and how much we have to constantly prepare for such events.”< /p>

In Belgium, the province of Liege was affected. Due to severe flooding on Saturday night, authorities received hundreds of requests for help and 150 firefighters were deployed, Gov. Hervé Jamard said.

Partially flooded road in the Belgian province of Limburg. Photo: BRUNO FAGI/AFP

Across the border in the Dutch province of Limburg, two campsites were evacuated early Saturday as they were threatened by rising floodwaters, officials said.

In France, the Moselle region in the northeast was at risk of flooding. Alarm as river levels rise following heavy rains.

Flooding in Porto Alegre, Brazil Photo: JEFFERS0N BERNARDES/GETTY IMAGES

Meanwhile in Brazil, heavy rains in the southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul continued to devastate the region for the third week in a row.

More than 150 people were confirmed dead and 104 were missing. with about 600,000 people forced from their homes.

Fresh floods in Afghanistan from heavy seasonal rains have killed at least 68 people, Taliban officials said Saturday.

Last week the World Food Program reported exceptionally heavy rainfall. have already killed more than 300 people and destroyed thousands of homes.

Experts say climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of floods.