The Interior Minister warns that occurrences of floods and intense rainfall are increasing.

Mainz to Face Off against Wolfsburg in Intriguing Clash - The Interior Minister warns that occurrences of floods and intense rainfall are increasing.

The Interior Minister of Rhineland-Palatinate, Michael Ebling (SPD), has hailed the creation of a new State Office for Fire and Disaster Protection as a major milestone in population safety. Ebling revealed that more frequent calculations would need to be made concerning floods and intense rain events, amidst an evolving global political landscape with threats to critical infrastructure.

Following the disaster caused by a flood on the Ahr, plans are underway to establish a new control center for public safety, which is expected to begin operations by the end of summer. This center will serve as the core of the newly formed State Office for Fire and Disaster Protection. A draft law will establish its legal framework within the state.

Eblicks elaborated that the State Office will harness and consolidate specialized knowledge to support municipalities with effective population protection measures across multiple levels. The control center will be manned 24/7. The state authorities decided in 2022 to restructure disaster management in the region as a result of the 2021 flood incident that claimed 136 lives, with 135 individuals perishing in the Ahr zone, while a Trier resident also lost their life.

CDU parliamentarian, Dennis Junk, said his party was in favor of the new draft law. Nonetheless, he voiced concerns over the slow progress in organizing the bodies behind the project.

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1. Ebling emphasized the importance of the Ahr valley region, severely affected by floods, in the context of the new State Office's mandate.
2. The authorities in Rhineland-Palatinate pledged to learn from the milestone Ahr flood incident, dedicated to enhancing civil protection measures.
3. The SPD, alongside other political parties, has pledged support for the State Office for Fire and Disaster Protection, given the Ahr valley's recent emergency experiences.
4. The Construction of the new control center in Mainz aligns with the state's commitment to better handle future flood emergencies, following the devastating Ahr incident.
5. The new draft law will ensure comprehensive disaster protection, leveraging knowledge gained from the Ahr valley flood, ensuring safety for future generations.
6. As a consequence of the Ahr flood, Rhineland-Palatinate's authorities vowed to improve disaster management with a stronger focus on public safety and population protection.
7. While the SPD welcomed the new measures to strengthen disaster protection, opposition parties called for further acceleration to implement the Ahr valley's lessons learned, in light of the looming threat of future heavy rain events.

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