Video: Germany counts cost of record flooding in Europe
By Tom Dinham
13 June 2013 (Reuters) – Residents of the German city of Passau survey the damage caused by the worst flooding seen in central Europe since 2002. Their sodden belongings lining the streets, many local business owners complained they had been unable to get insurance due to previous floods. “We asked the landlord back then, after the major floods in 2002, and it was the case that this side of the Danube cannot be insured. Sorry, but we won’t get any money from insurance,” says restaurant owner Christina Plettendorfer. Touring affected areas on Thursday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel pledged more money to help flood victims rebuild.
“We will of course increase our emergency aid. (The state of) Saxony-Anhalt today asked for 20 million and the federal government will meet that. The large damages need to be analysed afterwards and of course we will do what is necessary,” says German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Aerial footage shows how serious the situation has become, with the town of Dresden and Meissen along the Elbe river to a large extent under water. Elsewhere, the Slovakian town of Komarno was still struggling with heavy flooding Friday Slovak experts warned slowly receding water levels meant that a state of emergency should remain in force. The devastating floods have forced tens of thousands from their homes in areas of south Germany, Czech Republic, Austria and Slovakia.
