136 people died in the flood in summer 2021. The public prosecutor's office lists failures, but they now have no criminal consequences - a scandal for the survivors.
Thousands of houses were destroyed and roads and bridges were washed away. The then district administrator had not been on duty since August 2021 due to illness and was retired in October 2021 at his own request due to incapacity to work. The accusation against Pföhler and an employee of the district's crisis team was negligent homicide and negligent bodily harm through omission. More than 300 people were injured in the disaster. The flood brought untold suffering to the valley. The investigators also find it difficult to free themselves from emotions. For many relatives, the consequences of the deadly flood night are present every day. The Ahr flood has not only concerned many people legally in recent months, but there were also consequences in politics. Two ministers resigned in the wake of the investigation. The political debate is likely to continue.