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Berlin-German prosecutors launched a formal investigation on Friday to see if two local officials did not properly warn residents before 141 people were killed and hundreds were injured in last month’s floods. Said.
Prosecutors in the western city of Koblenz said previous investigations had identified “first suspicions” of manslaughter and physical harm to the local managers of nearby Ahrweiler County.
On the night of July 14-15, at least 141 people were killed and more than 700 were injured in the Earl Valley. Dozens more have died in other parts of West Germany and in neighboring Belgium.
A second member of the crisis management team, who was responsible for at least some of the night’s emergency operations, is also being investigated, the prosecutor said.
Residents of flooded towns reported little prior warning about the severe floods that occurred at night, and some argued that information from authorities was unclear or completely lacking. I was there.
Meanwhile, estimates of the economic costs of disasters have continued to rise.
Andreas Pinkwart, Minister of Economy, North Rhine-Westphalia, said the damage in his state alone is expected to range from € 15 billion to € 20 billion ($ 17.7 billion to $ 23.6 billion).
Federal and state officials meet in Berlin on Tuesday to discuss financial assistance to flooded areas.
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