The 2021 Western Germany flood event: The value of flood risk dissemination strategies and social media

Abstract

On 12–15 July 2021, Western Germany was hit by devastating floods that resulted in the deaths of an estimated 180 people (Fekete & Sandholz 2021; Kreienkamp et al. 2021). Germany does have a history of flood events, with the most recent and prominent being in 2013 over the regions of Elbe and Danube (Kuhlicke et al. 2020), leading to an estimated loss of EUR 6.8 billion (Kuhlicke et al. 2020). Moreover, another notable flood event is the June 2016 event over Bavaria (Mayr, Thaler & Hübl 2020). Globally floods remain a leading natural hazard that many communities remain vulnerable to (De Boer 2014) as the frequency and intensity is also increasing because of climate change and urbanisation, especially for those residing within delta basins, river banks and coastal regions (Haer, Bozen & Aerts 2016; Jongman, Ward & Aerts 2012). It is estimated that between 2000 and 2019, floods have resulted in 100 000 deaths, caused an estimated USD 651bn in economic losses and negatively impacted 1.6 billion people worldwide (Koç, Natho & Thieken 2021).