As the front runner to replace the prime minister, the towns in Austria, Bavaria, and eastern Germany suffered more flash floods. Angela Merkel, Was forced to apologize after seemingly downplaying the catastrophic situation that has claimed the lives of more than 150 people.
The alpine region of Berchtesgadener Land declared a state of emergency on Saturday night, after heavy rains caused the streets to be flooded and landslides, killing at least one person.
Transit at Austria, A stream flooded by rain flooded the historic center of Hallein in southern Salzburg, trapping residents in their buildings, overturning cars and flooding the shops on the ground floor. The town’s mayor, Alexander Stangassinger, told the broadcaster ORF that the flood caused millions of euros in damage.
Several towns in the mountainous Saxon region of eastern Germany SwitzerlandLocated in the southeast of Dresden, it was also cut off, and the train service to the Czech Republic was interrupted. Authorities reported that rainfall in the Kirnitzsch and Sebnitz tributaries exceeded 100 liters per square meter in 24 hours, causing the river to break through the banks.
On Wednesday and Thursday, a nearly stable low-pressure weather system appeared in parts of the west. Germany Heavy rainfall and flooding claimed the lives of at least 110 people in Rhineland-Palatinate, and North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) also claimed 45 lives.
Scientists claim that extreme weather events occur more frequently due to climate change, which hit Germany two months before the federal election, which will determine Merkel’s successor, who will step down after 16 years in office.
The conservative front-runner and the leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Armin Laschet (Armin Laschet) interrupted a party meeting on Thursday and went to North Rhine-Westphalia to participate in flood-stricken areas. He represented the most populous western state as prime minister.
While visiting the destroyed town of Erftstadt, an eroded gravel quarry engulfed cars, parts of the road, and entire buildings. On Saturday, Laschet was spotted sharing a joke with onlookers, and German President Frank-Waltersteinmeier Er spoke solemnly in front of the camera.
Lars Klingbeil, general secretary of the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), called Raschett’s actions “unrespectable and appalling.” The broadcaster WDR commented that every campaign provides moments for “candidates to show their true qualities”, adding: “Today is such a moment.”
Raschelt apologized on Twitter on Saturday afternoon. He wrote: “We have heard in many conversations that the fate of the affected person is important to us.” “So I regret the impression made during the conversation even more. This is inappropriate and I am sorry.
Annalena Baerbock, the candidate for the prime minister of the Green Party, has been working hard to initiate a national dialogue on ecological issues after a good start in her campaign. She shortened her vacation to visit affected areas but refused to travel with the media.
Merkel plans to Go to one of the two worst-hit areas on Sunday In western Germany, the village of Schulder in the Rhineland-Palatinate state.
