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Federal President Steinmeier, Rhineland-Palatinate Prime Minister Dreyer in Dernau in the Ahr Valley: talks with those affected, helpers and local politicians
Photo: Wolfgang Rattay / REUTERS
On the anniversary of the flood disaster, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier visits the still badly scarred Ahr Valley.
Reconstruction will be an issue for years to come, he said.
Much has already been achieved and some newly created, but there is still a lot to do.
In view of the long waiting times for craft businesses and experts, the conditions for this are not easy.
That's why the people in the Ahr Valley also know that reconstruction is "not a 365-day task."
Helping hands are still needed.
"Climate change has reached us," Steinmeier said of the flash flood in July 2021, which claimed at least 134 lives and destroyed thousands of homes.
This can be seen these days in the form of burning forests and falling groundwater levels.
In many regions, after the years 2018 to 2020, there is now a risk of "a fourth summer of drought," according to Steinmeier.
The fight against climate change has not lost its urgency.
Work is being done to improve disaster protection and preparedness.
more on the subject
Flood disaster in the Ahr valley: »Unfortunately, I don't see that the right lessons are being learned« An interview by Susanne Götze
Reconstruction of the flood disaster: Which mistakes led to the death of 134 people? By Annette Großbongardt, Regina Steffens and Sandra Sperber
Flood victims on the anniversary of the catastrophe: »Politicians have promised us a lot.
And thought little of it«An interview by Lukas Eberle
One year after the flood: what became of... the destroyed special needs school in Ahrweiler? By Armin Himmelrath, Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler
The Federal President was accompanied by the Rhineland-Palatinate Prime Minister Malu Dreyer (SPD).
He took more than an hour to talk to those affected, helpers and local politicians in a rebuilt wine bar in Altenahr.
"During previous visits here in the Ahr Valley, I said: We won't forget you," said Steinmeier.
By coming on the first anniversary of the catastrophe, he wanted to signal that this was the case.
"We haven't forgotten the people in the Ahr Valley, and we know how many are still struggling to rebuild their apartments and houses."
Afterwards, a visit to a carpenter's workshop and a winery was on the agenda for the head of state in Dernau.
Both factories were also damaged by the flood.
In the afternoon, Steinmeier travels on to Euskirchen in North Rhine-Westphalia to attend a memorial service for the flood victims there.
Wüst: »A turning point in the history of our country«
After the flash flood in the Ahr Valley caused by extremely heavy rain, it was the Federal President's third visit to northern Rhineland-Palatinate.
On September 1, 2021, he gave a speech at the mourning ceremony at the Nürburgring in the Eifel.
He also visited flood areas in the Ahr Valley on October 10th.
In the morning, the Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, Hendrik Wüst, had already reminded of the flood disaster that had claimed 49 lives in his state.
The flood was a "break in the history of our country," said Wüste in a statement.
The images were burned into my memory.
Wüst also called for better preparation for such catastrophes.
According to Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser (SPD), there must be a "restart in civil protection" as a consequence of the events.
Faeser said in Euskirchen near Bonn that lessons had been learned from the catastrophe.
The protection of the population is finally getting the priority it should have had for a long time.
"We felt safe in Germany for far too long," said Faeser.
"We must therefore arm ourselves much better against the consequences of climate change." Unfortunately, a repetition of such a flood disaster cannot be ruled out: "Extreme weather conditions will increase."
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) is expected as a guest without a speech at the central commemoration event in the Ahr Valley in Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler in the evening.
Up to 2,000 people were able to gather at the public commemoration in the Kurpark of the heavily flood-damaged district town.
According to the state government, the memory of the victims should be linked with a “visible signal of solidarity and a common departure”.
bbr/fek/dpa/AFP
