Final report on the flood disaster in the Ahr Valley: Digital publication

Final report on the flood disaster in the Ahr Valley: Digital publication

in the Ahr Valley, where a devastating flood disaster 135 people cost the life in July 2021, the final report of the Landtag investigation committee is now published. This report, which is initially only available in electronic form, will be published on Friday on the open parliamentary information system of the state parliament (opal). The significant events around the flood and the subsequent political reactions throw a critical light on responsibility and ability to act in crisis situations.

Losing from witnesses and experts

The committee's report includes several mutually acceptable parts that deal with the statements of the witnesses and experts. Particularly noteworthy are the statements of the governing traffic light fractions as well as special votes of the opposition parties CDU, free voters and AfD. Some of these special votes are extensive and contain more than 200 pages. This shows the interest and the different perspectives that exist on this important topic within the state parliament.

The longest process of enlightenment

The work of the committee of inquiry began in October 2021 on the initiative of the CDU and included a total of 47 sessions with a total duration of 294 hours. Many of the 226 heard witnesses were invited several times, and 23 experts also had their say. This intensive survey and the analysis of over one million electronic files provide profound insight into the processes and decisions before and during the disaster.

political consequences and responsibility

The scope of the flood disaster led to the resignation of Anne Spiegel, the former Minister of Environment and Interior Minister Roger Lewentz. These resignations are an expression of a political pressure caused by the disaster and the subsequent processing. Such events raise fundamental questions about crisis provision and political action in the event of natural disasters.

outlook on the discussion in the state parliament

While the MPs of the state parliament will discuss the report on September 18 and 19, the need for a thorough examination of the content is already evident. The parliamentary groups have held back to the discussion with public statements in order to enable an honest and impartial evaluation of the report. The public debate will be crucial to clarify responsibility and to develop future measures to prevent similar tragedies.

conclusion: a step to clarify

The publication of the final report is an important step in the clarification of the flood disaster. It remains to be seen which teachings are drawn from the events and what political consequences can be derived from it. The importance of these events for society in the Ahr Valley and for the entire Federal Republic is not only a question of memory, but also a request to act in order to be able to better manage future disasters.

- Nag