It's the morning after the deadly flood in the small village of Schuld on the river Ahr. The extent of the natural disaster is gradually becoming clear.

Schuld has a 1000-year history and has survived several wars. But now, it has been stricken by destructive weather. On the night into July 15, following heavy downpours, the river swelled and nearly swept the village away, wreaking havoc on everything that stood in its path. Normally, the Ahr is barely a meter deep as it passes through Schuld. It swelled to a monstrous depth of almost eight meters. Residents barely had time to react.

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