Status: 08/10/2021 5:37 p.m.
Almost four weeks after the flood disaster, the federal and state governments agreed on a reconstruction fund worth 30 billion euros. Chancellor Merkel spoke of a “sign of state solidarity”.
The federal and state governments have agreed a fund of 30 billion euros for reconstruction in the flood areas. This was announced by Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) after a video conference with the prime ministers of the federal states. The money is to be used to finance the long-term development of the flood plains.
Flood reconstruction fund is to be equipped with 30 billion euros
Christian Kretschmer, SWR, daily news 8:00 p.m., August 10, 2021
“This is a sign of solidarity across the country,” said Merkel. North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate were “captured by the consequences of a flood in a previously unknown manner”. The volume of the reconstruction fund has been significantly higher than in previous floods.
According to Merkel, the cabinet will pass the bill on Wednesday next week (August 18). The Bundestag will presumably deliberate in a special session in the following week in the first reading. The law could then be passed at the meeting scheduled for September 7th.
Most of the costs are shared
The development measures of the federal states alone are estimated in the resolution at 28 billion euros. The federal and state governments each want to finance half of this. According to the resolution to adjust the distribution of sales tax revenues over 30 years, the federal states will participate in the fund.
The damage, amounting to a further two billion euros, affects the federal infrastructure, which the federal government alone is responsible for repairing. These are mainly motorways and railways.
Johanna Wahl, SWR, with background information on the situation in the flood areas
tagesschau24 4:00 p.m., 10.8.2021
Warning systems are to be improved
The regions in the federal states of Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia are particularly affected. There, thunderstorms with heavy rain in mid-July triggered heavy floods and devastated entire stretches of land. So far, around 190 deaths have been counted, and several people are still missing.
In order to be able to better warn the population of dangers in similar future cases, according to the resolution, a technical system is to be introduced that sends warning notices directly to mobile phones that are logged into the radio cell. Siren systems are also to be expanded again.