The public prosecutor's office in Koblenz has started investigations against the district administrator of the Ahrweiler district in connection with the flood disaster in the Ahr valley in mid-July on suspicion of negligent homicide and negligent bodily harm.

As the public prosecutor announced on Friday, the investigation began on Wednesday (2030 Js 44662/21).

The Rhineland-Palatinate State Criminal Police Office is in charge of the police investigation.

As a result of the storms in the Ahr valley on the night of July 14th to 15th and the massive floods that followed, at least 141 people were killed and over 700 others were injured.

"Not with the necessary clarity"

The public prosecutor sees evidence that the residents of the Ahr valley were warned too late about the floods.

According to the statement from the Koblenz public prosecutor's office, “hazard warnings and possibly also the evacuation of residents of the Ahr valley who were not yet affected by the tidal wave at the time were required on July 14 at the latest from around 8:30 p.m.”.

The FAZ first reported on the early warning notices.

According to the initial suspicion, it was negligent “not, not with the necessary clarity or only belatedly”.

It is now also being examined to what extent the failure to take timely action can be made jointly responsible for deaths and injuries of residents.

In addition to the district administrator of the Ahrweiler district, Jürgen Pföhler, the proceedings are also directed against another member of the crisis team who, according to the current findings of the public prosecutor's office, had at least temporarily taken over the management of the operation.

Crisis team documents had already been secured for this purpose, and personal means of communication for the accused had also been secured.

In the course of the proceedings, documents and data from the crisis team of the Ahrweiler district had already been secured, as were the personal means of communication of both accused.

They should now be evaluated.

Fast results, the public prosecutor said on Friday, cannot be expected.

She also pointed out that there was only an initial suspicion.

"Precisely because of the drama of the events and the terrible consequences they had, the public prosecutor emphasizes the presumption of innocence with regard to the accused in a special way."

Before the public prosecutor's office announced, the Ahrweiler district administration canceled a press conference at short notice.

It should have been used to inform the public about the status of work to cope with the flood disaster.