Germany: Survivors, leaders remember victims of July floods

Associated Press

BERLIN (AP) — Survivors of last month’s extreme flooding in western Germany have joined first responders, religious leaders and government officials in remembering the more than 180 killed in the disaster and to express hope for the future. Chancellor Angela Merkel, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Bundestag President Wolfgang Schäuble, the leader of Germany’s parliament, attended a Saturday morning ceremony at the cathedral in the city of Aachen with residents of the regions devastated by the July 14-15 floods. A survivor who spoke at the event said her life was “shaken” by her “horrific experiences.” A Catholic bishop said, “Mourning for those we lost takes time, and it takes an incredible amount of strength to rebuild and start again.”