In Germany, the Bernd low caused greater devastation than in Switzerland. Experts explain why this is.
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Charlotte Walser, Dominique Eigenmann
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Videos show the extent of the devastation in western Germany.
Video: AFP, Storyful, Tiktok
Was Switzerland better prepared thanks to the investments in flood protection? Or was she just lucky? According to experts from both countries, the situation was not the same. In Switzerland, there has been a flood situation in recent weeks due to several wet periods. The catastrophic floods in West Germany and in the East Regions of The Benelux countries are mainly caused by short but extremely intense rain phases lasting 12 to 24 hours.
In North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate be much more rain has fallen in a short time than in most areas in Switzerland, says Yves Karrer from MeteoSwitzerland. Within 24 hours, between 100 and 150 millimeters of rain fell in West Germany. The thunderstorm on Tuesday night brought in some places more than 30 millimeters within an hour in Zurich Regen. The value for 24 hours was only 50 to 80 millimeters.
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