Floods batter Ashford's twin town Bad Münstereifel
17:32, 15 July 2021
updated: 10:10, 16 July 2021
A German town twinned with one in Kent has been battered by the worst floods in a generation.
Bad Münstereifel has been twinned with Ashford since 1964, and the two enjoy a very close friendship.
On Wednesday night, much of Western Germany was inundated with rain, bursting river banks and completely submerging whole towns.
So far at least 92 people have died across Western Europe as a result of the flooding, which has also impacted Belgium.
One of the worst hit towns was the picturesque Bad Münstereifel, through which the Erft River flows.
The town centre was unrecognisable as water flowed several feet deep through the town centre.
Pictures reveal the streets have been uprooted and scenic riverside walk transformed into earthworks.
An Ashford Borough Council spokesman confirmed that mayor Callum Knowles will be writing a letter to Bad Münstereifel officials in due course.
Cllr Matthew Forest (Con), twinning champion for Ashford Borough Council, said: “We are saddened to see the terrible flooding in Germany, including our twin town of Bad Münstereifel.
"Our hearts go out to those affected and on behalf of ABC we send our best wishes to our friends in Bad Münstereifel.”
The good relationship between the two towns has been long-standing, and is marked by each town having a road named after the other.
In the German twin, there is an Ashford Road while one of Ashford's busiest roads - the A2070 - is called Bad Münstereifel Road.
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