"We're thankful to have survived"
Following the destructive storm in Baden-Württemberg, cleanup initiatives are underway. Werner Diggelmann, a 82-year-old man, shares his harrowing story. The floods not only destroyed his property, but also carried him away. His friends are now aiding him in restoring his house.
The fact that Werner Diggelmann managed to clean up the chaos in his house only two days after the massive flood is almost miraculous. The 82-year-old leads us into the muddy basement of his home in the village of Rudersberg, around 40 kilometers northeast of Stuttgart.
He opens a door and invites us into a several-meter-deep hole. His office no longer exists, and the basement's ceiling collapsed into the flooded cellar during the torrent. "It caught me completely," he states two days after the flood. He was suddenly confronted with a deluge of water in his home that dragged him into the cellar. With his wife's help, he managed to escape from the flood.
"We're just grateful that we're still alive," says Diggelmann. He'd heard about the fatalities in the neighboring community. In the town of Miedelsbach, a 58-year-old man and his 84-year-old mother drowned in their cellar, likely trying to pump out the water. "We've been spared by a small margin," he remarked.
The damage to Diggelmann's house in the village of Klaffenbach is immense. The small creek Wieslauf ballooned to several meters adjacent to his house in a matter of minutes. The water in the basement was up to 20 centimeters below the ceiling. Everything in the rooms was either covered in mud, broken, or completely swept away. Friends and acquaintances carry mud and broken furniture out of the house through the front door. The Technical Relief Organization transports everything onto a truck with a massive excavator.
There's been no electricity for two days, and the fuse box was underwater as well. Before everything dries up, it's too risky to turn the power back on, warns Werner Diggelmann. His wife wipes the brown mud off the fuses with a cloth. At least the water and toilets still function. Their supply comes from aid packages from the Red Cross, and they occasionally drank cold coffee.
Mayor anticipates significant damages
Cleanup efforts are occurring in the primary town of Rudersberg. Water is being pumped out of a doctor's office on the main street, while broken equipment lies on the sidewalk. Beside the stationery store, there are piles of soaked books and school notebooks.
Mayor Raimon Ahrens forecasts damages in Rudersberg to be "extremely, extremely in the millions." "We'll need significant support from the state and the federal government," he states. After Monday focused on evaluating the extensive damages, rescue workers are currently trying to repair as much as possible.
"Today, it's all about pumping out as many basements as possible and fixing as much damage as possible, so we can navigate again," the mayor says. Despite the tiring work, the desire to help is strong. The mayor himself managed to sleep for a few hours each night. "The adrenaline keeps you going. But ultimately, your own strength is depleted."
German Red Cross remains active for several days
The Red Cross helpers have been on duty since Sunday night. "After 36 hours on my feet, my body craves rest and sleep," says Sven Knödler, district manager of the German Red Cross in the Rems-Murr region. It's essential to ensure that the relief forces are often replaced and can rest.
Initially, more than 150 German Red Cross members aided in rescuing people and now attend to the supply of the affected and relief forces. "We're here to support the rescue teams and citizens with food - and also psychologically," says Knödler. The food supplies will likely be needed for several more days. "It will still take several days until the infrastructure is restored, allowing people to take care of themselves again."
In front of Diggelmann's house, while helpers remove two broken washing machines from the front door, he muses, "One must find something positive in all of this: Now you have the opportunity to declutter a bit." He than returns to work, as there's still much to clean up.
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After the devastating floods in Baden-Württemberg, international aid organizations have been requested to assist in the recovery efforts. Despite the floods causing significant damage to his home and property, Werner Diggelmann from Miedelsbach survives, highlighting the regions vulnerability to such disasters.
