Floods in South Germany - Over half a billion Euros in damage during June floods
Underground streets, destroyed bridges and countless flooded basements: Six weeks after the flood in Baden-Württemberg, the state government presents the first account of damages. "We have to assume, based on the current situation, that the total damage will exceed 500 million Euros," said Interior Minister Thomas Strobl in Stuttgart. It is unclear how much of this will be covered by insurances. The state would not be liable for these damages. However, Strobl plans investments in a "robust three-digit million euro amount" for the rebuilding.
In the particularly affected community of Rudersberg (Rems-Murr-District), damages were initially estimated by the municipality to be over 120 million Euros. This includes damages to public infrastructure, businesses, and private households. Practically everything, from the sewage plant to the youth house, was damaged, Mayor Raimon Ahrens stated at the time.
Will there be funding programs for rebuilding?
The state government recently checked whether 29 existing funding programs could also be used for the rebuilding after the floods. For example, if a county road was damaged or destroyed, a funding program for municipal road construction could be considered for the rebuilding. However, it has become clear that these programs do not apply or do not suffice in some cases, said Strobl. Therefore, a short-term additional aid package for municipalities in the amount of 25 million Euros will be activated. "These damages will not be eliminated in a few days or weeks, it takes years," Strobl said. The damages from the 2013 flood in Braunsbach (District of Schwäbisch Hall) and the subsequent landslide three years later took up to ten years to be fully financially settled.
Mayor Ahrens of Braunsbach stated that the community center was completely destroyed by the flood wave on May 29, 2016. Braunsbach gained nationwide notoriety due to this.
- The flood in Stuttgart, being part of Southern Germany's Baden-Württemberg, also caused significant damage, adding to the state's total damage estimate.
- Thomas Strobl, the Interior Minister, visited the affected commune of Rudersberg in Stuttgart to assess the flood's impact on their finances.
- Despite the extensive damage, Mayor Ahrens of the commune in Southern Germany expressed hope for reconstruction efforts, citing the long-term nature of the rebuilding process following the 2013 flood in Baden-Württemberg.
- The affected municipality in Baden-Württemberg, similar to the one in Braunsbach, will require a substantial investment in reconstruction, with the aim of restoring public infrastructure, businesses, and private households.
- As the devastating floods in Baden-Württemberg and Braunsbach have shown, the process of financial settlement and reconstruction can extend over several years, requiring continuous support and commitment from local and state governments.
