Dresden (dpa/sn) - Economics Minister Martin Dulig (SPD) has called for responsible use of nature with reference to the flood disaster in 2002 on the Elbe and the flood in the Ahr Valley in 2021. "The flood 20 years ago reminds us that we cannot control nature," he said on Tuesday on the anniversary (August 12) in Dresden. "We can only adapt to it." Bridges, railway lines and roads would have to be constructed in such a way that they withstand such events, but also protect and preserve the Elbe floodplains and thus flood plains.
According to Dulig, fast, effective measures are also required to be able to quickly implement the upcoming energy and transport transition. "Because man-made climate change is not a guess, it is already a reality." This has been demonstrated by the increasing number of natural disasters in Germany in recent years alone.
According to Dulig, the Elbe flood in 2002, with 21 deaths until the flood in the Ahr valley, was the most expensive natural disaster in German history. The total damage amounted to 11.6 billion euros, 8.6 billion euros alone was attributable to damage in Saxony and more than 5 billion euros to the infrastructure. "Damage of 327 million euros was recorded on the state roads alone." Around 1,600 bridges and engineering structures were damaged or destroyed.
This was followed by a construction program "which was unparalleled to date," said Dulig. Not only should the damage be repaired, but roads and bridges should be better able to withstand future floods. The almost 11,000 affected companies across the country were also quickly helped. Saxony disbursed more than 25 million euros in emergency aid via funding programs, as well as additional funds in the three-digit million range from the federal and state governments to support the economy.
