Two Years After Deadly Floods, German Towns Rebuild and Strengthen Defenses
Two years after the catastrophic floods in Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia, Ingo Schäfer, Member of the German Bundestag, has reviewed ongoing recovery efforts. He visited affected communities in Solingen and Remscheid to assess progress and listen to residents’ concerns.
The anniversary has also highlighted new measures to improve flood protection and disaster response across the region, including advanced warning systems and legal reforms.
Schäfer met with local residents still grappling with the aftermath of the 2021 floods. Many survivors and emergency responders continue to face trauma, requiring long-term psychological support. Caritas Solingen has stepped in to help, offering specialised services—including for traumatised children—and hosting a support event on Wupper Island in Unterburg on July 15.
Efforts to strengthen flood defences are underway, with the Bergisches Hochwassermeldesystem 4.0 project making progress since its launch in June 2023. By October 2025, the initiative aims to expand measurement networks and develop apps for faster alerts. Schäfer praised advancements in Solingen’s warning system along the Wupper River, stressing that timely notifications remain critical for saving lives.
To bolster national resilience, the federal government plans to introduce the Critical Infrastructure Protection Act (KRITIS-Dachgesetz) later this year. Schäfer called for tighter collaboration between federal, state, and local authorities, along with relief organisations. He also emphasised the role of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, in improving disaster preparedness and response.
Reconstruction in Solingen and Remscheid continues, but survivors still need more assistance to recover from the disaster. The Bergisches Hochwassermeldesystem 4.0 and upcoming legal reforms aim to prevent future tragedies. Meanwhile, local groups like Caritas Solingen remain active in providing direct aid to those affected.
Read also:
- American teenagers taking up farming roles previously filled by immigrants, a concept revisited from 1965's labor market shift.
- Weekly affairs in the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag)
- Landslide claims seven lives, injures six individuals while they work to restore a water channel in the northern region of Pakistan
- Escalating conflict in Sudan has prompted the United Nations to announce a critical gender crisis, highlighting the disproportionate impact of the ongoing violence on women and girls.
