Dangerous floods devastate Belgian town

The southern Belgian town of Dinant was hit by the heaviest floods in decades on July 24 after a two-hour thunderstorm turned streets into torrential streams that washed away cars and pavements. But there were no casualties.

Dinant was spared the deadly floods 10 days ago that killed 37 people in southeast Belgium and many more in Germany, but the violence of Saturday’s storm surprised many.

Rainwater gushing down steep streets swept away dozens of cars, piling them in a heap at a crossing, and washed away cobbles stones, pavements and whole sections of tarmac as inhabitants watched in horror from windows.