Flood damage mainly in Germany and Belgium.
The death toll has exceeded 200 so far, and serious damage to civilian life continues, causing unprecedented damage.
What is the actual situation?
What is the cause?
We talked to Mr. Yoshi Yamaguchi, the director of the Berlin bureau.
Q What happened?
Heavy rain floods across Europe from July 14th to 15th.
The worst was the Earl Weiler county in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.
The Ahr River, a tributary of the Rhine River, Germany's "Father River" that traverses Europe, overflowed and houses in the basin collapsed or flooded.
As of July 29, 134 people have died and 69 are missing.
47 people were killed in North Rhine-Westphalia.
In addition, 38 people have died and one is missing in neighboring Belgium.
Q What is the state of the disaster area?
On July 17, NHK's interview team entered Earl Weiler County.
Roads and railroads along the river were scooped out and collapsed, leaving the railroad tracks floating.
Some bridges have broken pedestals, suggesting the intensity of the water flow at that time.
The cobblestone streets of the medieval shopping street were covered with mud, and many shops were submerged to a height of about 2 meters.
Cleanup work had begun locally, but the mud-covered products were not for sale, and one of the shop owners was tired, saying, "I've been here for over 40 years, but I can't reopen it anymore." I was talking like that.
Q What kind of impact does it have on your life?
In the disaster area, electricity, gas, and water services stopped in a wide area, and the communication infrastructure was damaged, resulting in the interruption of mobile phones.
Restoration work is still ongoing, which is a major obstacle to the lives of citizens.
The impact on public transportation is also enormous.
The railroad was damaged for 600 kilometers due to the collapse of earth and sand, and many stations and more than 50 bridges were damaged.
According to the railway operator, the total damage amounted to about 1.3 billion euros, or about 170 billion yen in Japanese yen.
It has also been pointed out that 135 schools in North Rhine-Westphalia may have been damaged and some schools may not be able to resume classes as usual in late August after the summer vacation.
Mental care for children in the disaster area is also a major issue.
Q What caused the flood?
The direct cause is torrential rain.
In the basin of the Earl River, one day alone exceeded the rainfall for one month of the normal year in July.
Due to the intermittent rain three weeks before the flood, torrential rains overlapped where the water content of the soil increased, and a large amount of water that could not be absorbed by the soil flowed into the Earl River flowing through the mountains. Therefore, it is believed that the water level of the river has risen sharply.
Q Why did the damage spread?
Local media have told residents that the danger of a disaster may not have been fully communicated in advance.
In each disaster area, there are voices such as "No warning was issued in the area where I live" or "Although a heavy rain warning was issued, I did not think that a flood would occur".
Regarding this, Professor Rotar Schlott of the University of Bonn, who specializes in geography and is familiar with disaster response, said, "Even in the area where the warning was issued, it is urgent to take concrete actions such as needing to leave home immediately and evacuate. The big problem is that I didn't convey it with a feeling. "
Q Can climate change be a factor?
The direct causal relationship to this flood is currently unknown.
However, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who visited the disaster area on the 18th, said, "If you believe in science, it is related to climate change." It shows the view that it is influencing.
In Helsinki, the capital of Northern Europe Finland, the average temperature in June was the highest ever, and all parts of Europe have been hit by heat waves.
There is a growing sense of crisis about climate change among Europeans, and climate change measures are likely to be an important issue in the Bundestag elections in September.
Q What is the impact on the election?
In an important election to replace Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has led Germany for about 16 years, the ruling party "Christian Democratic Union" led by Mr. Rachette is being followed by the opposition "Green Party" led by Mr. Bearbock.
In a poll released on July 28, the ruling party's approval rating was 26%, while that of the "Green Party" was narrowing to 21%.
Since the "Green Party" has been calling for stronger climate change measures, it is possible that the flood damage will lead to greater support for the election.
While the search and recovery of missing persons is urgent, the German government and the ruling party are facing urgent issues such as disaster prevention and mitigation efforts and climate change countermeasures.