The Minister of the Environment and Nuclear Safety of Germany Svenja Schulze called for the accelerated development of renewable energy (RES) on Friday, July 16, during a visit to the city of Solingen in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia, which was badly damaged by floods.
According to Schulze, we are talking about “actively combating climate change.” In addition to renewables, Germany also needs transport development and investment in building construction. In the future, such phenomena as droughts and heavy rains will become more frequent, so one should prepare in advance for possible disasters like the current flood, the minister said.
Police against “tourism in the disaster zone”
In turn, the German police union (GdP) warned curious people against “tourism in the disaster zone.” “Instead of filming video on smartphones, onlookers should know where help is needed,” said Jörg Radek, deputy head of the GdP. According to him, the main tasks of the police in the affected regions are their protection, including from possible looters, as well as support of residents.
Church offered help
The Catholic and Evangelical Churches offered help to the victims of the natural disaster in the western regions of Germany. The archbishopric dioceses of Cologne and Paderborn have allocated 100 thousand euros for emergency needs. Church organizations called for additional donations to be collected. To provide shelter for those who have lost their homes, several cities have already prepared premises belonging to churches.
Earlier it was reported that the number of victims of a powerful flood in Germany exceeded 100 people, the authorities warn that it may increase. The Bundeswehr came to the rescue in the fight against the consequences of the disaster.
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