Germany plans to invest at least 10 billion euros in a new fund for the restoration of areas flooded after a catastrophic flood in the west of the country.
This is reported by the German edition Spiegel.
According to the publication, the federal and state governments will allocate more money for reconstruction in the flooded areas than after the floods in 2013. They plan to split the amount in half.
Unlike the 2013 flood relief, the amount will not be provided immediately. However, according to the Ministry of Finance, the fund will be replenished annually as needed. The government in Berlin and local state governments do not want billions of euros left unused for years. The 2013 fund was allocated 8 billion euros, of which about 6 billion were needed.
According to preliminary estimates, the current losses in Rhineland-Palatinate alone will be higher than the total losses in 2013. The governments of the affected federal states are still assessing the extent of the destruction.
At least 180 people have died in severe floods that devastated cities in Western Germany in July.
The disaster made people wonder if the authorities had done enough to warn residents in advance.
In connection with the floods, the Koblenz prosecutor’s office opened a criminal case against the head of the administration of the badly damaged district of Ahrweiler on suspicion of negligent murder and negligent bodily harm due to non-fulfillment of their obligations.
