Some 170 still missing around Koblenz, victim numbers set to rise - police

Members of the Bundeswehr forces work in an area affected by floods caused by heavy rainfalls in Schuld, Germany, July 19, 2021. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay

Some 170 people are still listed as missing the area of western Germany hardest hit by deadly flooding, Koblenz deputy police chief Juergen Sues said on Monday, adding the number of victims would surely rise.

Criminal police chief Stefan Heinz added that he expected many bodies were in places the police had not yet reached or where flood waters had still not receded from.

"The focus of our work is on giving certainty as soon as possible," Heinz told a news conference. "And that includes identifying the victims."

Rubble and debris are seen in an area affected by floods caused by heavy rainfalls in Schuld, Germany, July 19, 2021. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay

(Reporting by Thomas Escritt; Editing by Douglas Busvine)