Condolences on the flood disaster

I don’t believe that people can stay in their towns. In some cases, they simply no longer exist. We’re not just talking about the Eifel, but also the Sauerland and the beginnings of the Ruhr area. We just don’t have anything like that here. I’m telling you, when I wanted to get an elemental insurance policy in 2006, it was hardly available, and I was told that such coverage wasn’t needed in our region. But I really wanted it because the Lippe used to flood often, although there were never any damages to complain about. But we hadn’t expected such torrential rains here. And if the insurance pays for elemental damages, the money probably won’t be enough at today’s prices. Especially since everyone there has to build at the same time. Try to find a company. Funds from the federal/state government will generally be tied to conditions that are hardly achievable.

If I had lost loved ones in my close environment, and then really half or the entire town was gone as well (including my own home and center of life), puh. Very difficult to even imagine. I don’t even know if I would have the energy to start again there, even if there were possibilities through, for example, KfW or donation programs. Personally, my family is somewhat more dispersed and we ourselves have "moved in," and therefore we also feel less tied to a single place, but I also know many for whom it is different, for whom at least in a non-catastrophe state a move would be unimaginable. Regarding the reconstruction: There are certainly some towns that are not completely as severely affected, where I consider a rapid reconstruction conceivable, but for the worst-affected places, I really don’t know how realistic that is. :( My condolences to all affected and much strength for the coming time.

We are shocked and feel very sheltered to live on a hill. From the terrace, I saw the Sülz flood out of its bed, but I could not guess from my perspective what was happening a few kilometers further in our valley, where an entire village was submerged meters deep. In the valleys of the Oberberg district, there are some streets where now in front of every building there is a huge pile of destroyed furniture, electrical appliances, and bags of other household goods ready for collection. Here, at least, people have been able to start cleaning up and sorting through. It looks different at my sister’s place in Erftstadt. Her house is located high enough in Liblar that there were only 30 cm of water in the basement, which pressed through the walls of the old house. What happened to her former neighbors and friends in Blessem is still not 100% clear. In addition to human lives, many animals were also affected; an acquaintance was unable to save his horses. The attitude of the people interviewed is impressively strong. At the moment, we can only help with some money and kind words.

More rainwater retention basins must be built and floodable open spaces must be created.

These are places with a river in the middle. They have implemented flood protection based on past experience. I saw an interview earlier, I think from Ahrweiler, where they said that floods up to 3.5 meters are known. That last happened 5 years ago. Measures can manage that.
At most, the water level was 8.5 meters in recent days.

You don't build against that, it's unrealistic.
If that were the standard, one would probably have to abandon all towns on bodies of water.

By the Elbe, we have holiday homes that stand on stilts. Beneath the house, there is at most a stone outbuilding, which serves either as a garage or as a boathouse. Above is then a loggia. But to build your little house like that?… I saw a short film somewhere today (I think it was about Saxony), that actually showed "our hotly debated" new buildings being flooded. …

Everything is a question of adaptation. In Venice, people also build like this, but if you don't anticipate it, you simply cannot counteract it.