More than two hundred people died in Germany and Belgium – the disaster left behind a repair job and deserted villages.
This week it will be a year since the flooding caused by heavy rains covered the riverside villages in Central Europe.
The heavens opened on July 14, and it rained relentlessly for the next two days. The rivers overflowing their banks in the worst way ruined picturesque landscapes in western Germany and eastern Belgium.
In addition to these, the flood caused destruction in Holland, Austria and Switzerland
The ordeal has stuck in my mind. The mayor of the Belgian city of Limbourg, which was one of the worst flooded areas by Valérie Desjars says he still can’t sleep in the rain.
In an interview with the news agency Reuters, Desjarsin estimates that a quarter of the residents of the formerly vibrant city have moved away after the flood.
A part of the village is becoming devoid of inhabitants
In the village of Trooz, some residents are struggling with the problems of reconstruction. Some of the houses are so prone to frequent floods that they have had to be abandoned. The atmosphere in the empty alleys is eerie.
In July of last year, the natural disaster that shocked Europeans claimed 185 lives in Germany. 39 died in Belgium.
Days earlier, the German Meteorological Institute had warned of approaching severe weather, but the seriousness of the message did not get across. Now the country is planning to send enhanced text messages to the phones of those staying in threat areas. In addition, the removed alarm sirens are returned to the roofs of the houses.
Central Europe faces a flood repair
However, protecting villages and towns prone to flooding will be expensive. For example, in the Walloon region of Belgium, there has been a decrease of almost three billion euros due to floods.
There is still no alternative, as the floods are estimated to accelerate. Dutch professor specializing in water management Marjolijn Haasnot reminds us, according to the news agency Reuters, that climate change can still surprise us.
A year ago, the flood attack was also intensified by the fact that the soil soaked in the spring rains was already full of water.
Man-made riverbeds and old bridges that collect floodwater cause the water level to rise above their banks.
According to Haasnot, last summer’s disaster is indeed a warning, which should lead to the improvement of river flows and the expansion of flood-leveling soil.