2 of the 7 water level gauges located on the River Ahr, which are located upstream and downstream of the badly flooded town of Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, suggest that the July 2021 event was significantly in excess of previously recorded high water level events at the gauges (the top ten ranked events extend back to 1999). One of the worst affected regions in Germany in the July 2021 event was the Rhineland-Palatinate state, with the River Ahr experiencing particularly destructive flooding.

Severe floods were also experienced in Germany and other European countries in May/June 2013 and August 2002, resulting in billions of Euros of damage. Aon have estimated that the heavy rain and hail experienced in June may lead to $4.5bn in payouts from insurers, which would make it the costliest two-week stretch for Europe on record 2. The German government is considering an aid package of approx €400m (£344m), whilst GDV, a trade body representing German insurers, has suggested that this may become the worst year for financial losses from severe weather since the 2013 floods, when insurers took a loss of €9.3bn 2. As of 20th July, 165 deaths had been reported in Germany, 31 deaths in Belgium, and many people were still missing in Germany. Oil pollution of rivers, including parts of the Rhine, and contamination of drinking water were also reported. There was concern that the Steinbach dam, to the south of Cologne, may break, resulting in 4500 people from the Rhein-Sieg district being evacuated. Railway lines and roads were badly damaged and left unusable in places, and damage to sewage plants and water management infrastructure also occurred. Ĭonsiderable damage occurred locally to the flooded rivers, with houses, buildings, cars, and bridges being swept away or damaged. Over the 14th and early hours of the 15th July, heavy continuous rain fell over a large area of western Germany stretching from Dortmund down to Trier, with regionally more than 150 litres/m 2 of precipitation being registered in 24 hours 1. On the 13th July rainfall was mainly over the centre of Germany, with radar measurements suggesting up to 87 litres/m 2 fell in the Ore Mountains (Marienberg region) in 2 hours. Over the next few days until the 19th July, Bernd moved off towards Southeastern Europe, again coming into contact with hilly or mountainous topography (Ore Mountains, Lusation Mountains, Alps) leading to persistent heavy rainfall in eastern Saxony and southern Bavaria, Lusatia and the Berchtesgadener Land. This resulted in recurring or persistent heavy rain that covered large areas in Germany.

Warm air from the Mediterranean carrying large amounts of moisture interacted with the low pressure system which, in combination with low mountain ranges in the region (Sauerland, Westerwald and Eifel), forced this warm moist air to rise higher into the atmosphere where it cooled. Between 12th to 15th July, a zone of low air pressure (named “Bernd”) was located over Central Europe, between areas of high pressure to the east and west, which prevented it from moving on.

Update on germany flood