Merkel Visits Flood Site, Calls It a "Horrific Ruin" (Comprehensive)

Germany's Worst Floods Kill 157
Federal Government Promises Aid
Merkel Emphasizes "Disasters Due to Climate Change... Building a Carbon-Neutral Society"

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] German Chancellor Angela Merkel toured the flood damage sites and described the scene as a "horrific sight" and "devastation beyond words."

On the 18th (local time), Chancellor Merkel visited Schuld in the Ahrweiler district of Rhineland-Palatinate, where flood damage was concentrated, and promised that the federal government would support the recovery of the affected areas.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

At a press conference that day, she said, "The federal government will approve a flood damage recovery support program on the 21st," adding, "There is a great deal here that will take a very long time to restore."

Foreign media reported that the flood damage recovery in Germany alone is expected to cost billions of euros. The German insurance industry expects that the payout for natural disaster compensation this year will exceed the 9.3 billion euros (approximately 12.5 trillion KRW) record set in 2013, according to foreign media.

Since only about 45% of buildings are insured against heavy rain and flood damage, the actual damage is expected to be even greater.

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

The German government is reported to be injecting more than 300 million euros (approximately 400 billion KRW) in emergency relief funds to the affected areas and will restore buildings, roads, and bridges destroyed by the flood through billions of euros in recovery support funds.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Chancellor Merkel emphasized that this flood is a disaster caused by climate change and stressed the importance of building a carbon-neutral society.

She said, "We will respond to the power of nature in the mid to long term," adding, "We need to accelerate the fight against climate change."

She continued, "Looking at the total of extreme abnormal weather and damage situations in Germany, there are signs that this is related to climate change," and said, "Therefore, when preparing flood countermeasures or agricultural and forestry policies, it is necessary to respond to this as much as possible."

Earlier, experts analyzed that abnormal temperature phenomena caused by climate change triggered this Western European flood disaster.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Germany has reported 157 deaths so far due to floods caused by heavy rains that struck the western region last week.

In the Ahrweiler district of Rhineland-Palatinate, the hardest-hit area in Germany, more than 110 people are reported dead. Buildings have been swept away by water, and electricity, gas, and communications are still cut off, causing delays in recovery.

Foreign media reported that the flood-damaged sites look like villages submerged underwater as roads were flooded due to rising water levels.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

Local rescue authorities stated that more fatalities might be discovered as the water recedes over time.

Malu Dreyer, Minister-President of Rhineland-Palatinate, said, "We were fairly well prepared, but this flood came too fast and on an enormous scale, reaching a level never experienced before in Germany, exceeding the limits of our response system."

She added that with the collapse of power and mobile communication networks, all warning systems became difficult to operate, and the military, police, and fire departments now plan to systematically conduct missing persons rescues across the entire region.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Helmut Lussi, Mayor of Schuld, tearfully expressed that this flood will leave residents with wounds that can never be forgotten or endured, lamenting that their lives have changed overnight.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, the situation in neighboring countries affected by the flood is also reported to be worsening.

Belgian authorities stated that 163 people remain missing since the flood occurred. Additionally, about 370,000 households are without power, according to officials.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The government has deployed military forces to rescue missing persons and restore the affected areas.

In the Netherlands, tens of thousands have evacuated, and officials reported concerns about the safety of various infrastructures as roads and bridges are submerged.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Foreign media reported that at least 188 people have died due to flood damage in the Western European region so far.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.