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WEATHER

German floods: More than 150 people still missing

After more than 170 lives were lost in the flood disaster in Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia last week, rescuers are losing hope of finding around 150 people who are still missing.

German floods: More than 150 people still missing
Flooding in the Mosel Valley. Photo: picture alliance/dpa/Nord-West-Media TV | ---

Sabine Lackner, the head of the federal rescue organisation Technisches Hilfswerk (THW), believes there is now little chance that those who have been missing for the past week are still alive.

“We are currently still looking for missing people, for example when clearing the paths or pumping out the basement,” she told the German Editorial Network.

“At this point, however, it is unfortunately very likely that you can only recover the victims, not save them.”

In the storm-ravaged region of Ahrweiler, in northern Rhineland-Palatinate, around 155 people are still missing, while more than 40,000 people are thought to have been impacted by the floods.

Parts of the region still have no water, gas or electricity – and suppliers say it could take months to restore those services in the area.

READ ALSO: Rebuilding Germany’s flood-ravaged areas ‘could take years’

The Marburger Bund doctors’ association have also warned that more lives could be lost due to the lack of medical services in badly hit parts of Rhineland-Palatinate. 

With several GP’s practices becoming unusable in the floods, people with chronic illnesses could find it difficult to access treatment when they need it, they warned. The association is therefore calling for emergency doctors’ practices to be built in the region.

So far, at least 170 people have been confirmed dead in the floods: 48 in North-Rhine Westphalia, and 122 in Rhineland-Palatinate. According to state internal minister Roger Lewentz, around 770 people were injured in Rhineland-Palatinate alone.

Red Cross to assess damage in Rhineland-Palatinate

This Thursday, the President of the German Red Cross (DRK), Gerda Hasselfeldt, was set to visit Rhineland-Palatinate, in order to get a sense of the current situation in the region. She also wants to draw up an initial report of the deployment of emergency services and helpers, look to the coming weeks and comment on how well Germany is prepared for such disasters. 

The North Rhine-Westphalian cabinet, meanwhile, will meet to discuss the consequences of the flash floods and financial aid for survivors. State premier Armin Laschet (CDU) has already announced that the state government will provide €200 million in emergency aid for the victims and promised that the payments would be processed quickly.

READ ALSO: UPDATE: Germany approves €400 million relief package for flood-hit regions and survivors

In the meantime, the base camp for the deployment of technical aid organisations, fire services, rescue services and the German armed forces has been erected on the Nürburgring Grand Prix racecourse. More than 4,500 helpers are expected on Thursday night on the site to deliver aid to the Ahr valley, operations manager Heinz Wolschendorf confirmed.

Blessem residents could return to their homes

In the Erftstadt-Blessem disaster area in North Rhine-Westphalia where floods triggered a landslide last week, some residents are expected to be allowed to return to their homes permanently from Thursday.


A security company employees checks the documents of a couple returning to their home in the Blessem district of North Rhine-Westphalia, which was hit by landslides on Friday. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Marius Becker

Before many residents get the green light, however, geological experts must survey the area and confirm that the buildings are stable, District Administrator Frank Rock told DPA.

Once this has happened, “the citizens of Blessem must also be given the opportunity to re-enter their houses and apartments permanently, in particular to carry out clean-up work,” said Rock.

After heavy rainfall the previous week, Erftstadt-Blessem experienced a terrifying landslide on Friday as houses were swept away and others collapsed in the floods. 

READ ALSO: German floods: Several feared dead after landslide south of Cologne

Several residents have said they will be glad to be able to return on Thursday in order to get a better sense of the damage caused. However, they are likely to be without electricity and running water for several days or weeks. 

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WEATHER

Spring to arrive in Germany with temperatures of up to 21C

The moment many people around Germany have been waiting for is almost here: as of Thursday, temperatures are expected to crack the 20C mark and stay warm through the start of spring.

Spring to arrive in Germany with temperatures of up to 21C

Whether it’s the pink cherry blossom trees which have started to bloom, lighter evenings or people walking around with ice cream cones, the signs of springs have already started to show around Germany in March.

Now the weather is also catching up: following rain storms on Wednesday, the mercury is expected to reach at least 20C in many parts of the Bundesrepublik on Thursday. 

READ ALSO: Seven signs that Spring has arrived in Germany

First there’s some damper news: On Wednesday, Germany – in particular the southwest – is expected to be hit by the storms. In the Black Forest, 30 to 40 litres per square metre will fall by midday, according to the German Weather Service (DWD).

In the Alps, light snowfall will set in above 1,000 to 1,200 metres, with fresh snowfall of around five centimetres expected. 

The rain will ease by the following morning, but it will remain cloudy.

Up to 21C on Thursday

On Thursday, after the morning the fog disappears, people can look forward to a sunny and dry day – especially in the south and western parts of Germany. 

Temperatures will rise to a pleasant 14 to 21C degrees, with the highest values on the Upper Rhine. 

In mountainous areas and by the sea, it will remain somewhat cooler at 10C to 14C. 

Friday will be characterised by changeable weather: there will be sunny spells as well as rain showers, which will spread from the west and may be heavy in places – including thunderstorms. 

Temperatures will be between 14C and 18C degrees, and in the Lausitz region in eastern Germany it could even reach a warm 20 degrees.

Warmer weeks

While this Sunday could still see some single digit temperatures in northern parts of Germany – such as 9C in Berlin and Hamburg – the coming week is set to experience continually warmer weather, remaining at 14C and higher. 

The first day of spring officially begins this year with the Spring Equinox on March 19th. The days will become even lighter in Germany after Daylight Savings Time, which this year takes place in the early hours of Easter Sunday, or March 31st.

READ ALSO: Everything that changes in Germany in March 2024

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