Hobbies And Interests
Economic Costs
Rhine floods have disrupted the economy of the basin regions in several ways. The Rhine river is one of Europe's largest shipping routes, and the floods have stopped ships from transporting goods. 1,550 square kilometers of farmland close to the river were also devastated as the floodwater deposited large amounts of sediment across the basin. Hundreds of homes weren't just destroyed by the floods; some other homes were looted in the chaotic aftermath. After both the 1993 and 1995 floods, the German government had spent $1.25 billion to repair damages to farmlands and buildings.
People Displaced
Approximately 250,000 people were displaced by the Rhine floods in 1995 because of the rapid onset of the floods. The number of displaced people was limited by the system of protective dikes set up along the basin. However, some of the floodwater overran the dikes. For example, the major city of Cologne had water levels up to two meters after its dikes were topped by floodwater. Once the floods subsided, the people remained displaced for months as their homes had to be repaired and large amounts of sediment had to be removed before they could move back.
Impact on Other Species
Plants and farm animals such as cows were also displaced and harmed by the floods. Plants were a lot less likely to survive the sudden flooding because the water impeded their ability to absorb light for photosynthesis. However, not all plant species were affected equally because some plant species were more flood-tolerant than others, including the flowering "yellow dock" and the herb "sorrel." Other plant species, such as false oat grass and yarrow, did not withstand the floodwater. Millions of cattle were also displaced by the floods and the soil of the pastures they grazed on had some toxic metals, including cadmium.
Government Reaction
After the 1993 floods, several European countries came together to develop the Rhine Action Plan to reduce damages from future flooding. The plan has several components: increasing awareness, improving natural capacity for storing water, and increased international cooperation. Countries along the basin, including France and Germany, have built up their systems of protective dikes to block higher flood levels and have built artificial ponds that take in floodwater. The widespread damage from the 1993 floods also led to quicker evacuations and greater coordination between countries, causing a drop in the cost in the 1995 flood.