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Flooding's aftermath: Saar municipalities petition for federal assistance

Saarland's Whitsun floods resulted in substantial harm to public structures, prompting cities and local governments to seek assistance from the federal government.

Elsässer Straße is still under water and is impassable for pedestrians. Residents in flooded...
Elsässer Straße is still under water and is impassable for pedestrians. Residents in flooded Kleinblittersdorf are taken from their homes to the supermarket in fire boats. Those who remain in their homes are being cared for by helpers. According to the fire department, 70 people are currently cut off from the outside world - the water is still waist-high.

Violent Weather Event Approaches. - Flooding's aftermath: Saar municipalities petition for federal assistance

Just over two weeks since the flood disaster hit Saarland, the Saarland Association of Cities and Municipalities (SSGT) has pleaded with the federal government for big financial aid to rebuild damaged infrastructure. On a Wednesday appointment, the association's president, Jörg Aumann, disclosed how extensive the damage is becoming.

Establishments such as civic buildings, schools, sports facilities, routes and pathways are some of the areas that have been badly damaged in some locations. The evaluation of the damage is still ongoing, but it is expected to cost millions.

The promised help from the state is not due to be enough to remove the damage and concurrently invest heavily in flood shielding and essential climate alteration initiatives, as per the association. The state government has pledged to cities and municipalities a monetary emergency program valued at between five to six million euros from the 2024 and 2025 needs allocation.

In Aumann's words, "it is vital that the state's help is not financed from needs allocations, which municipalities would obtain anyway." The population of Saarland spent their Pentecost weekend fighting floods and downpours for several days. Weather that was too heavy led to flooding, landslides, overflowing streets and cellars.

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