Aftermath of disastrous Germany floods
Saeed Pourreza
Press TV, London
Record rainfall has caused widespread flooding that’s wreaked havoc in Western Europe. One of the worst-affected countries is Germany with nearly 200 people dead. While natural disasters aren’t uncommon, scientists say the role of climate-change should not be underestimated.
The rains have stopped and the last of the floodwaters are receding, laying bare the sheer scale of the destruction. Countless numbers of people have lost everything. Many recount how fast it happened:
These areas saw rain six times higher than the average heaviest rainfall days in July. The region’s infrastructure has been torn apart. Centuries old buildings toppled, roads and bridges destroyed. There are still areas in these flood-hit without basic amenities.
European leaders have called for action on climate-change believed to be the reason behind Europe’s worst floods in decades. Chancellor Angela Merkel has toured the affected areas offering her sympathies to those impacted by the disaster.
A massive recovery and clean-up operation is underway involving thousands of people from the military, to the emergency services to volunteers.
Scientists say the recent disaster very much fits the pattern we should expect if we continue to pump huge amounts of carbon dioxide into atmosphere and if governments don’t take on the fight against climate change decisively. Meanwhile, these afflicted Germans wonder if more could have been done.
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