A Huge Price Tag: 18 Million Euros for Rebuilding After Baltic Storm Surge
18 million euros allocated for fortifying Baltic Sea against storm surges - Massive Baltic Storm Aftermath: 18 Million Euros in Damages to Steam Facilities
Here's the skinny: A whopping storm surge clobbered the Baltic coast in October 2023, leaving quite a mess behind. The Kleinhafen marina in Damp, part of the Rendsburg-Eckernförde district, took a particularly harsh beating. Now, the government's footing the bill for the rebuild, to the tune of 17.9 million euros, as per the Economics Ministry.
Check out the wreckage - just 110 berths are operational now, with the total number pegged at 365 before the storm surge. A sad sight indeed, as 32 boats met their watery grave. Some boats even ended up on the piers!
Rebuilding plans
Picking up the pieces is currently on hold, as the mayor of Damp, Barbara Feyock, has applied for state aid for the reconstruction back in October 2024. The funds will be used to overhaul the marina in a fresh design, with an additional mole being built on the south side to boost resistance against future surges.
Sounds like a pricey project? You bet! The total budget comes to 23.9 million euros. Nicely, 75 percent of the costs will be covered by the government over a span of three years. But don't start the construction just yet - it'll have to go out to tender across Europe before the work can begin. Feyock expects the project to wrap up by the end of 2027.
The Record Funding
State Secretary for Economy and Tourism, Julia Carstens, told the German Press Agency that the region will not only return to its former glory but surpass it with the record funding. The existing North Mole will not only be rebuilt and relocated, but a smaller mole will also be built on the south side, increasing the location's appeal for tourists and improving its resistance to the elements.
According to Carstens, Damp is a typical seaside resort, with water sports, beach holidays, cycling, and hiking trails attracting vacationers. With the nearly 18 million euros, the municipality will be able to restore Damp's image.
Hundreds of Millions in Damage
The storm on October 20th and 21st of 2023, swamped dike systems, damaged harbors, and destroyed boats, campsites, and hotels. Flensburg reported a record-breaking surge of 2.27 meters. Large sections of promenades and streets crumbled under the onslaught, with some washing away entirely. Altogether, the damage on the Baltic coast amounted to a colossal sum of hundreds of millions of euros.
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania was somewhat lucky compared to neighboring Schleswig-Holstein. However, the damage, particularly in Sassnitz and on the Fischland/Darß/Zingst peninsula, was no walk in the park. The Ministry of the Environment's tally for the damage in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania added up to a hefty 56 million euros.
- In the midst of climate-change discussions and environmental-science research, the 18 million euros government funding for the rebuilding of the Kleinhafen marina in Damp, a coastal town, signifies a significant part of policy-and-legislation and general-news.
- As vocational training programs aim to equip individuals with practical skills, the rebuilt marina in Damp will offer vocational training opportunities for locals, providing them with essential knowledge about water sports and tourist industries, essential for the region's economic growth.
- With the regional government investing 18 million euros in combating the environmental damage caused by the storm, the conversation surrounding climate-change and environmental-science will undoubtedly intertwine with the politics of policy-and-legislation, offering insights into the overall impact of such natural disasters on EC countries' economic landscape and recovery efforts.
