Dams, rubber boots and disgruntled farmers: Germany continues to sink (4 photos + 3 videos)
Category: Fires and Catastrophes, PEGI 0+
7 January 2024
Germany was slowly drowned in rain after the New Year. 
Prolonged rains covered the entire country and a little France. The rain started before the New Year and apparently isn’t going to stop.
Two weeks of constant rain have caused roads to turn into rivers, many houses have been flooded, and local residents are preparing for new difficulties.
The focus now is on preventing further damage, with rescue crews strengthening levees and building sandbag barriers.
Similar scenes are being observed in neighboring France. Since the beginning of November, the northern department of Pas-de-Calais has experienced record amounts of rainfall. The soil in this flat region is saturated with water.
Enterprising burghers are slowly digging through sandbags. Well, it’s logical, why waste money again?
German Chancellor Scholz decided to be closer to the people in such a difficult time and flew to the flooded region for another check. But if last time his visit was ridiculed because of his boots, now the Germans are unhappy that he put on rubber boots. They say that in this way the politician is just trying to increase his trust rating among the population.
Meanwhile, in many areas of Lower Saxony, the potato and sugar beet harvest is under threat. Many roads have become inaccessible to heavy farm equipment needed for harvesting.
Farmers complain that this year is shaping up to be a difficult year, including due to the end of tax breaks for agricultural diesel and farm equipment caused by the German government's austerity measures. The floods were the second blow to farmers in a short time.
The full extent of the damage is not yet clear. The floods have destroyed thousands of farmlands, with long-term impacts, and disrupted supply chains. In addition, most of the winter grain farmers planted in October was destroyed by flooding, which will require replanting in the spring - if there is enough seed.
