The demands for rapid aid from the federal and state governments for the areas hit by the storm are increasing.
In view of the extensive destruction of the infrastructure in the floodplains in North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate, a "national effort by the federal government and the affected federal states" is required, said the chief executive of the Association of Towns and Municipalities, Gerd Landsberg.
The Rhineland-Palatinate Environment Minister Anne Spiegel (Greens) spoke out in favor of permanent federal aid for the municipalities.
Landsberg told the editorial network Germany (RND, Saturday editions) that reconstruction in the flood areas had to be "organized and financed quickly and unbureaucratically" by the federal and state governments.
First aid would have to be provided at short notice, but also financial commitments for necessary construction measures.
The parliamentary managing director of the FDP parliamentary group, Marco Buschmann, appealed to the federal government in the RND to resolve "an unbureaucratic emergency aid" as soon as possible.
The people affected in North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate must be helped "as quickly as possible".
The federal cabinet wants to advise on help for those affected on Wednesday.
The FDP politician Buschmann referred to the development aid fund that the federal government had launched in 2013 after the flood disaster in East Germany: "This should be increased and used."
A special session of the Bundestag must be convened immediately for this.
In 2013, the federal and state governments jointly provided eight billion euros to repair flood damage and to compensate private households and companies.
Up to 80 percent of the damage could be reimbursed for the injured party.
The floods at that time particularly affected the residents of the Elbe and Danube in Saxony-Anhalt, Brandenburg, Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein and Bavaria.
14 people were killed.
In parts of North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate, rivers overflowed their banks after heavy rain since Wednesday, and entire villages were destroyed.
As of Saturday noon, 133 fatalities had been recorded while many people were still missing.
The Rhineland-Palatinate Environment Minister Spiegel told the "Handelsblatt" that she was relying on long-term federal aid for the reconstruction in the regions hit by the storm.
"Because there will come a time when the flood disaster disappears from the headlines again, but the help is still necessary. And we are talking about months and years."
In addition, permanent support of the municipalities in the fight against climate change is desirable.
It is very important that the municipalities not only receive selective support through special programs in order to combat the consequences of climate change, but that this is understood as a joint task at all political levels.
ilo / ju
