Angela Merkel at the bedside

Angela Merkel discovered a landscape of desolation. The Chancellor traveled to Rhineland-Palatinate, in southwestern Germany, on Sunday, where she met residents still in shock. This region, one of the most affected by dramatic floods, deplores the loss of 110 people, out of a total of 157 in the country. The Chancellor, who has promised massive aid for reconstruction, expressed her deep emotion. “I would almost say that the German language is struggling to find the words to describe the devastation that has been caused,” she said. Europe 1 was there.

“She promised help, but they are promises”

As soon as she arrived, the Chancellor went to the heights of Schuld, near Bonn. Looking serious, she then noticed the damage for a long time below, in the valley floor, where the houses were washed away by the raging waters and where there is nothing near the river but a vast muddy plain where the backhoe loaders are activated. Then she went down to meet the people, her feet in the mud, talking for several minutes with Rene Haas, in front of her almost completely devastated house.

“She promised help, to do everything to help us. But these are promises. We also talked about when this help was coming. We are all in need, we are all in trouble”, laments this inhabitant.

An emergency plan of at least 300 million euros

The inhabitants, armed with shovels and squeegees, stop for a few moments as Angela Merkel walks by, before resuming their heavy task: cleaning up a ghost village. After almost an hour of presence, the Chancellor then spoke at a press conference in the neighboring town of Adenau.

“What I was able to see is really heartwarming, to see how people stick together, how they help each other. It is such solidarity for all affected communities,” said Angela Merkel. This afternoon, the federal authorities announced the imminent adoption of emergency aid of at least 300 million euros, before a vast reconstruction program of several billion euros.