Status: 07/17/2021 2:35 p.m.
Federal President Steinmeier and NRW Prime Minister Laschet visited Erftstadt, which was badly affected by the flooding. Steinmeier thanked the helpers and demanded solidarity. Laschet promised unbureaucratic help.
After the storm disaster, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and NRW Prime Minister Armin Laschet arrived in the Rhein-Erft district in North Rhine-Westphalia, which was affected by severe flooding. The two politicians spoke to helpers in the fire brigade control center there.
Steinmeier called on citizens to stick together. “In times of need our country stands together,” said the Federal President in Erftstadt. “Your fate is heartbreaking,” he said, referring to the victims of the floods. “The damage is great, the clean-up work will take time – and the willingness to provide support must continue.”
Thanks “in the name of all Germans”
Steinmeier thanked the helpers on site. Many had worked “to exhaustion and beyond,” said the SPD politician. He expressed his heartfelt thanks to the helpers “on behalf of all Germans”. The call for help from all parts of the region is “great and urgent,” said Steinmeier.
Steinmeier said it might only be possible to clarify how big the damage is in weeks. “Perhaps only at a time when the floods, the catastrophe, the tragedy that many people have experienced here no longer dominate the front pages of the German daily newspapers.”
“Will do everything we can to rebuild”
The North Rhine-Westphalian Prime Minister Armin Laschet promised direct aid for the people affected by the flood during a visit to Erftstadt. “Money is paid out very unbureaucratically,” said the Union Chancellor candidate during a visit to the particularly affected city. Afterwards, together with the federal government, the cities will have to help structurally to carry out the reconstruction, said Laschet.
All of Germany will help, said Laschet: “We will do everything we can to rebuild.” The flood was a “catastrophe of the century” and it was a “national task” to help the affected region. State and municipalities could not do this alone.
Merkel visits affected areas
According to the Chancellery, Chancellor Angela Merkel is also planning an “early visit to the disaster area”. Merkel will visit the flood-affected areas in Rhineland-Palatinate on Sunday, the state chancellery in Mainz confirmed to the dpa news agency.
Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer then wants to visit the disaster areas in North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate on Monday. Green Chancellor candidate Annalena Baerbock is already there. After breaking off her vacation, she traveled to the crisis areas. As a spokeswoman said, the party leader wants to find out about the situation of the people there. In doing so, she deliberately refrained from accompanying the press or making public appearances.