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BAD MUNSTEREIFEL, Germany — For some refugees now residing in Germany, the devastation following widespread flooding in western Europe is all too familiar.
"This disaster reminds me of war,” said Taha Aliyahi, an Iraqi refugee who has been trying to help out in Bad Munstereifel, located in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. “My German is not so good, but helping others is not a language. It comes from the heart. I cannot sit at home while this place is devastated like a war-ravaged area.”
The unusually intense flooding has claimed the lives of at least 180 people, and widely devastated property.
"This was a beautiful city. It is full of kind people. I wanted to help them out. My heart aches when I see how the city is devastated," said Sima Musawi, an Afghan refugee, also volunteering.
Heidrun Baum, 69, says he thought the heavy rainfall in Germany last week would be nothing out of the ordinary. Little did he know that it would devastate his house and hundreds more in parts of western Europe
"It all happened in two hours. The level of the water was so high that this big rock was washed away by the flood and broke the door of my house into two pieces,” said Baum, whose studio and family member’s shop was devastated. “I was not able to save anything.”
As volunteers clear the mud and debris, residents are left wondering how they will rebuild.
"We do enjoy natural disaster insurance, but it does not include damages from increases in the water level. [...]This means we have to pay to fix the damage on our own," added the flood victim.
"This disaster reminds me of war,” said Taha Aliyahi, an Iraqi refugee who has been trying to help out in Bad Munstereifel, located in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. “My German is not so good, but helping others is not a language. It comes from the heart. I cannot sit at home while this place is devastated like a war-ravaged area.”
The unusually intense flooding has claimed the lives of at least 180 people, and widely devastated property.
"This was a beautiful city. It is full of kind people. I wanted to help them out. My heart aches when I see how the city is devastated," said Sima Musawi, an Afghan refugee, also volunteering.
Heidrun Baum, 69, says he thought the heavy rainfall in Germany last week would be nothing out of the ordinary. Little did he know that it would devastate his house and hundreds more in parts of western Europe
"It all happened in two hours. The level of the water was so high that this big rock was washed away by the flood and broke the door of my house into two pieces,” said Baum, whose studio and family member’s shop was devastated. “I was not able to save anything.”
As volunteers clear the mud and debris, residents are left wondering how they will rebuild.
"We do enjoy natural disaster insurance, but it does not include damages from increases in the water level. [...]This means we have to pay to fix the damage on our own," added the flood victim.
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