July 2021. I have book man. Whered all this water come from here . In germany, the worst flooding in over a century diesel, i miss it. These events will occur more frequently. Thats for sure. Zisha thousands lost their homes, them on yet, so we are stuck on with the 1st anniversary. Now its like you fall into a kind of trance with all you see it all happening all over again. For all good. Still visible. The destruction wrought by the flood. Ah, on the day of the flood, bud minster. I fulls, Historic Old Town was deluged a year later, reconstruction and repair work here is ongoing tourists are starting to return. Though they have to watch where they walk. Gradually businesses and shops are reopening a year ago. Small rivers like this one became raging torrents within ours. July 13th, 2021. The whole day the rain came down and drove the design to cut us. There was a catastrophe. I thought because it went so far beyond anything with experience before water level records are completely shuttered, yet even the gauges are pulverized either uplift. On the previous day, germanys Weather Service had issued warnings. They notified district authorities and Fire Departments about dangerously high water levels. After attention, expect lots of rain in the coming days, peak river water levels, which are already quite high for this time of year. Why ride is in fee and are many places, especially in western run. And the pelican will see a 100 liters per square meter and more at its peak, a 150 to 200 liters per square meter for im calling. As diane russell, the water rose from 80 centimeters to notice 3 or 4 mates is like, it seems a for, for to 9 meter. This 9 me noon. Further advisories followed a localized rainfall at over 200 liters per square meter cant be rolled out at all. Shes no, it was a disaster just waiting to happen. Especially along smaller rivers. 11 p. M. The storm front moved away from altenor in as our land towards hogan. In the next 3 hours alone, this area received twice as much rain as it normally does. In an entire month. The fulmer overflowed its banks and flooded the streets. The lena did the same. Just after midnight, an alarm went out to huggins. Volunteer fire brigade, her just on to him by hundreds of emergency calls were coming in a need to know where to start going. Well now i from proof of that i river was already running down the street and there was a woman stuck in a galley. We were supposed to drive somewhere else, and thats how it started. Laws even the bridges sank and it never stopped raining for the next 20 hours. A lot. I me, i wanted to go get some cigarettes after suddenly i found myself stuck in the water. I couldnt get away removing at 2 in the morning. The Crisis Management team met in hog in their assessment, even with 500 rescue workers on deck. The situation was already out of control people radios, the control center saying we need a boat. They just didnt know what we were dealing with our piano laws. Wednesday july 14th, when dawn broke, the scale of the devastation became clear. As mud pattaya. Nothing will be happening here for a few days. Im pretty sure about that. Its crazy. Just crazy, had sophomore. And the rain continued. The full moon river flowed through the entire city of us of woods. The water kept rising and with it, the time pressure buildings verged on collapsed. I had cracked some parts, missing, toiler hug, and ho and limbo was in a state of constant alarm. Would lick wilson deserved a radio dason said go up there and help rescue cable. I saw a mother with a crying child screaming. What should we do, help us fund the utmost actually were really scared and stood by the windows in despair. When i could only wrestler 3 or 4 people bring them in and head out on the next round. Our folks will be standing by windows with kids, babies waiting and yelling, they wanted hours one while people in north ryan west failure were trying to stem the flood waters anyway. They could on the river. Ah, things were still quite calm. Cornelia vi gant then mer of the collective municipality of alton, r followed the river to the town hall. Shed heard the weather, warnings, longs annoyed at 9 am on that terrible day, the water level was still 92 centimeters up, but i thought that ok, we come through the 1st night relatively unscathed oscar. At 924 a. M, the state Environmental Office, announced that the our rivers, water level was expected to triple in the coming night. So 2. 4 meters, creating a perilous situation for the village of should in the eiffel to as lines or fan and us does us and of orphans morgans rouge, anomaly remark. It was different in that it had rained like cats and dogs nonstop since the Early Morning feel they gave you an odd feeling because even the tributaries from the valleys had turned into monstrous rivers. Some you have on. These are demons, yawning, with never seen anything on that scale before densely homer concave. His schultz was practically wiped off the map. The whole village was engulfed. It hasnt recovered from the flooding to this day. Remedied in aught so unchartered looking at the place to day. Sometimes cant tell where the streets ran or how it used to be of um the flood waters backed up at the bridge. A pizzeria, the local meeting place, once stood by the river bank. Across from it was the bakery. Today theres nowhere to buy food in shult. July 14th 1224 p. M. The state Environmental Office raised its high water advisory to 3. 3 meters. And the german Weather Service issued a storm warning for 37. 00 districts, citing extremely abundant, continuous rainfall. That would mainly affect small rivers and streams. Watch out for rivers like an get real dangerous, eligible out us and trident is done fee by the Teachers League beat house. But the decisive thing is then, ah, where does this rain water go through . And what happened here was the very small rivers all drained into the after the air filters or other rivers in the shower. And under the same time, the heidelberg to these floodway all came together even and just kept on rising under boxes at 234. 00 p. N. Av islas, district all 30 warned the population by app to expect localized flooding. Not an hour later, the state Environmental Office made an alarming projection. Altenor water level gate would rate 5. 19 meters thus far more minute was a shot. And none of us had any experience with this kind of forecast with these kinds of water level of it happening in a century or more. And i wish my definitely from h inflicted buildings and i asked him of yours is man, what can i do . He said, of arrogant of declare a state of emergency declaring a state of emergency would have given people time to save some of their belongings. Even now a year later, alternate hotels still lie in ruins. On july 14th, 2021 fire brigades everywhere were battling the waters in the eiffel to st. Started to flood in bad minster eiffel the river f had been rising steadily since morning by the afternoon conditions had far surpassed all the weather. Warnings, dramatic reports were also coming in from altenor in as our land. After rescuing some one, a fireman was himself swept away and drowned. The flood waters had begun to claim lives. 2 hours later, another fire fighter died while on duty yet another was luckier. People were able to pull him out of the water in time install baird by arthur and there was also a last minute rescue. In altenor, cornelia bygone was worried. The expected high watermark was 5. 19 meters at 420 in the afternoon. She called her districts administrative head. But a lesson cut us please declare a state of emergency. And they said, just a moment will call you back on that. They called that we needed more data. We have to verify some still take a while. Dunbar, as of the time, was the last we heard to wish at 540 p. M. The Crisis Management team of bod, noah of islas, district authority, met the district head could have sound of the alarm then. But he didnt miss holmes this done. And then, and in the evening and the nights, the law for as long as mobile radio and Cellular Service kept working, emergency calls poured in government. When okay, after once we realized that many people were out on their roof, asked coach for when the whole night. There were no helicopters thus far. That was an awful night, and no anna, sham enough to day by gaunt, has taken over as the new administrative head of the av. Ill a district if needed. She can declare a state of emergency herself 6 pm on july 14th, 2021 in north rine west failure. The rain was coming down harder than ever. Rineback was plunged into chaos as flash floods hit its town center. In bad minster eiffel, the eft turned into a raging torrent. It devastated the Historic Old Town 642. 00 p. M. 8 kilometers further east. On the evening of july 14th the stein back towel damn was in danger of overflowing and flooding. Entire villages. And a good hour later, the dam began to overflow. 120000 liters of water poured over per 2nd. It was feared, the dam would break. Meanwhile, 20 kilometers to the south in the our valley, the mayor of the village of chute helmet. Lucy suspected what was heading their way the flood villa d is up national. Under the flat waters had risen by a metre within the hour, and i could see how the homes were being steadily inundated and in parts demolish a campsite. Right on the our river was the 1st place affected dozens of trailers and wood cabins. Was swept away by the flood waters. He was it. Suddenly alec allowed, the owner warned, every one lost in she got them out of their mobile homes and told them that they had to get away from here. She said that something unprecedented was happening and thanks to her. No lights were lost isaak and obviously with them more than 100 homes were carried away. The residential campers still havent been allowed to rebuild. Only dwellings that can be cleared within an hour are permitted. One comes in studies globally. This incredible amount of rain had to pass through these confined spaces and just look at the valleys with their bottlenecks. Then bernoullis principle comes into play. Bottom was lots of water must pass through a narrow space directly. Only way to get that amount through is to increase its speed fields which leads to these torrential flood waters. As that they went so high that trees were uprooted. Ayla from parts of buildings broke off and were washed away with the river. And then comes the 1st bridge or not everything gets clogged up and the force grow stronger macalucio. So this combination of figures that was decisive as father and child at 7 p. M. At the ar, viola districts Crisis Center, they had yet to feel the floods impact. The alarm signals from schulte and alton are never arrived. As digital phone and Radio Networks had gone down, the district administrator met with rhineland, platinum interior minister, who left the meeting thinking the situation was under control. So no warning went out to the local population. Who still would have had time to get to safety. It was guns early sung. I honestly have to say that our district administrator completely mishandled things. Issue of my queues, him of not reacting properly even though hed been given enough Early Warning about ordinance at the time. Alton, as water level gauge, read 3. 92 meters, but the number just kept rising. Just before 8 p. M, the state environmental offers up to its projection to 5. 3 meters. Entire homes floated down the are. The river rose to more than 8 meters and shoot went under manager. Im that night you could see the village dying. A slow dazzle stopped. Now there was nothing anyone could do. The volunteer fire brigade were powerless to help that evening. Ulton book also flooded. Altenor is just a few 100 meters downstream. Luca salmons wine growing estate is located here right on the our river. Salmon and his father hoped to save a few machines in the wine press hole or. Ready dish money of. Meanwhile, the flag water warning had risen to over 4 meters in parts close to 5 when i so he put everything that couldnt get wet up high and around as a loft in the hole. At 845 p. M. Alton, as water level gauge, red, 5. 75 meters. Soon afterwards, the gauge was washed away. Along with the whole building. Luca salmon had to abandon his hope. The water had torn off the entire wall, facing the river, 40 full barrels of wine and 25000 bottles were carried off into the flood waters and disappeared. Even his winery was no longer safe. Famously we had to get out of here right away. Otherwise, the water would have come down here and we wouldnt have gotten back up the ramp or it would have been forced down into the garret where we would have drowned from retoma. At the last minute he and his father sought refuge on the balcony of the ice cream parlor 2 houses down. It was the highest spot on their st. And still there was no official warning from the Crisis Center in bad. No not today, zelman is back in the winemaking business. He got to work straight away. And soon i spent lots of time talking with architects and trades people. I must say i no longer feel like a ventnor or lets put it this way. I was like taking a course in construction remarks here. At least he could rebuild just a meter away. Theres a new flood zone that must remain vacant. Us been sean binge philosophy of das austria olives, alumnus after im proud of what weve already achieved together. Fish off, and i think we should be in a blick of does it motivating, not just to look at whats done missing, but to see whats already here outside of the flood itself is gone, or theres no getting away from it here or finished. There are rooms in many places, still its annoying and you wonder why here and then nothings been dance a shannon for those who wanted to rebuild have done it master or are in the last 8 years. Young. Several from those who havent and from just dont want it in on video initial i only wanna finish this still work to be done in altenor july 14th, 40 kilometers further north in after that lesson it was almost 10 p. M and water already covered the floor of the writing arena. At another pause felton hall. For 2 hours, people formed a human chain and bailed to try to keep the water away from the stables. 60 horses stood there in the stalls and back on handling so much water, rushed in active fighting. It was pointless. It came in from all sides. I refer doors filled with water, fire in the our valley, the flood waters had already ravaged my shores and rush around 10 p. M. They reached down out a village of close to 1800. 00 residence. We want to take everything upstairs. You were miss you, alice hall. Not now yet yours coming. Its breaking through everything we about florida in heaven, lord and heaven. People scrambled to up as stories for unto roof tops. Provider canada is that no one is that i regret taking the things upstairs and not climbing the hill to the vineyard. Not you felt so naive in that situation. The water just kept rising. The terrace was whole till at 5. The water started creeping up. The building walls is the number that were on the 3rd floor. The wall with does not dying. How high will it go . What if we have to swim it . How do we do that miss . What if we have to climb . How do we do that . Where do we climb to . And in the end were just power letters. And then honestly, we just prayed with only at 10 o 4 p. M. Did the Crisis Management team, call a red alert. The flood waters kept streaming towards bad neu, anna, where the Crisis Management team was sitting in a basement with an unstable mobile phone network. Half an hour before midnight, a huge wave of water hit the town. It citizens were completely unprepared. These holes to the door to our home burst open on the water, rushed in here from the moon for a minute before it was still this high muscle, then the water came and forced the door open. My girlfriend went flying through the aparment, followed by the cupboard. Then we were almost almost killed no 20 years. At 230 a. M. Water was also surging through zinzis based on old plans. They had evacuated. People living within 50 meters of the art flood waters had never gone further than that. So no one had given much to the disabled residents of the lab and his the house located 250 meters away from the river. Yeah, yeah. As awesome. Yeah. Yeah, how were drowning here . Can anyone hear us . We called back with the cell, but it was just incredible. Now. We called the fire department, they knew about it and probably tried to get here show that the water came so quickly. Oh, this was a kansas. No, 240 a m. A single sold on night duty managed to bring 8 of the 20 people from the ground floor to upper levels. After that, the doors would no longer open one on neighbors. And you cannot, they couldnt do anything more. They had to wait till the war to receded to open the doors. By then there was foreseeable what theyd find would up silver solution. 12 of the homes residents died by now shocking images of the floods were circulating on the internet. Ive been through of steel and im an early riser, and at 4 or 5 a. M. I was writing back and forth with a friend he wrote, have you heard the r valley looks quite hard hit um at some point. He said, well, im going there now. I cant take a front end loader and fight people with chainsaw because they all surely need help. Lets meet up there if ones golf fuel or did you hear from marcos victor, through its agricultural social media channel, had 70000 followers. Over the next few months, many of his followers saw his call for help and wanted to lend a hand either of you or this monday. Video voice. If you want to come and help, please do that. Otherwise, folks who want to help should look where the are run these, theres work to be done everywhere and lots of it. Yeah, kevin didnt ring along here. Come a bunch of pharma look how far back he goes. Its a convoy and i was the best of our from the vest of our for our viola, violence on people who spent the entire night driving here with their tractors. Got to work right away. Well, im direct young folks. Id sit on the tractor or they give 24 hours straight and keep on going and we were full of adrenalin. No one could start from buffalo. We knew we had to press on because maybe wed still find some one, some one loving symbol in the day 2 more. My ball were rescued here. Thank goodness. Back at the stables in ift dot, the water was now one and a half meters deep, but they still didnt dare to lead the horses through it. Wait until it got light that was the worst time. Then the water rose quickly. Daverson we light is all. Then it was so high, there was nothing left to consider when it was clear in motion to look. Now, when it, when we decided to go, went opened on the stools. I really, every one