Prosecutors in Belgium have opened an investigation into floods that hit several towns earlier this month, leaving 37 people dead.
The prosecutor’s office in the city of Liege said in a statement that an investigative judge had been appointed to lead the inquiry, which would examine whether there was a basis to charge anyone with involuntary manslaughter by failure of care or precaution.
Amid discontent among the thousands of residents impacted by the floods, a Belgian political party earlier this week requested the appointment of a parliamentary commission to investigate the disaster.
Several specialists in hydrology have suggested that lowering the water level at the major Vesdre dam after forecasters issued weather warnings would have prevented a lot of flood damage in nearby towns.
Neighbouring Germany also experienced massive flooding, with the total death toll for the two countries exceeding 210.
