Flute catastrophe - Remembrance of the third anniversary of the deadly Ahr flood
People in the Ahr Valley remember the deadly flood disaster from three years ago with religious services and memorial events. Citizens come together for an ecumenical service in Bad Neuenahr's Kurpark. The new Minister-President of SPD, Alexander Schweitzer, and the apolitical Ahr-District Administrator Cornelia Weigand will also attend the event.
"We invite all citizens to join us in a service to remember the deceased," said Mayor Guido Orthen beforehand. In addition, appreciation should be shown to all those who helped after the flood.
Minister of the Interior Michael Ebling (SPD) will participate in a memorial event at the ASB-Encounter Center in Sinzig. Here, people can exchange thoughts over coffee and cake and remember the flood and its victims together.
Damaged houses still visible
During the flood disaster on July 14 and 15, 2021, 136 people had lost their lives in Rhineland-Palatinate, of whom 135 were in the Ahr region and one in the Trier area. One person is still missing. In neighboring North Rhine-Westphalia, 49 people lost their lives due to heavy rain.
Thousands of houses were destroyed, roads and bridges were washed away. In the Ahr Valley, on a length of 40 kilometers, roads, bridges, gas, water, and electricity lines, as well as around 9000 buildings, were destroyed or severely damaged. Around 42,000 people were affected.
The flood night is still present in the minds of people in the Ahr Valley. They can, for example, contact the pastoral care Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler. The demand for conversations at the pastoral care is - independently of the anniversary and the flood disaster - higher than what can be offered, said the deputy chairwoman Michaela Ockenfels.
Among the callers and callers were topics such as loneliness, physical complaints, depressive moods, difficult family relationships, and fears, she said. "These personal themes overlap with the collectively experienced crises and disasters to form a sometimes complex individual burden of suffering."
In contrast to previous years, there are rather smaller and local memorial events this time. In addition to those in Bad Neuenahr and Sinzig, services are being held in Dernau, Murlenbach, and Ahrbruck.
- Alexander Schwenitzer and Cornelia Weigand will join the religious services in Bad Neuenahr's Kurpark, showing their support for the people of Tod's Ahr Valley.
- The flood disaster in Rhineland-Palatinate's Ahr Valley three years ago claimed 135 lives, leaving a deep impact on the local community and society.
- Guido Orthen, the mayor of Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, encourages all citizens to join the memorial service, expressing gratitude towards those who aided during the disaster.
- Michael Ebling, the SPD Minister of the Interior, will participate in a memorial event at Sinzig's ASB-Encounter Center, providing a platform for collective remembrance.
- Damaged houses and infrastructure from the 2021 flood disaster in the AHrtal region are still visible reminders of the catastrophic event, serving as a stark reminder of nature's wrath.
- Memorial services and events are being held in various places, including Dernau, Murlenbach, Ahrbruck, and Bad Neuenahr, allowing affected communities to heal and mourn together.
- Divine services, appreciation ceremonies, and memorial events are taking place across Rhineland-Palatinate as the region honors those who perished in the disaster and pays tribute to the survivors.
- Pastoral care services in Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler have seen an increase in individuals seeking support, with topics such as loneliness, family issues, and mental health complications being highlighted during the flood anniversary.
- Memorial services and commemorations continue in Tod's Rhineland-Palatinate, paying tribute to the victims of the 2021 Flute disaster and offering solace to a community bound by shared grief and resilience.
