German floods: Before and after view

Quaint villages of half-timbered houses scattered across narrow valleys have now been destroyed. The extent of damage caused by the floods can been seen in these before and after images. The town of Altenahr in the Ahr Valley was hit particularly hard by the flood waters. 

After torrential rains caused the usually low Ahr River to swell and spill over its banks, there was nothing to hold it back from swamping the surrounding streets and towns. Aerial photos of Altenahr, which is just south of Bonn in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, show the astonishing extent of the flooding. 

Before the floods washed



through the valley in the early hours of July 15, Altenahr was an idyllic town along a meandering river.  Further along the Ahr River, the town of Dernau was also largely submerged. Prior to the floods, Dernau was best known for its peaceful setting nestled at the foot of steep vineyards. 

Bad Münstereifel, a city in the Eifel region southwest of Cologne, was also devastated by the floods. The quaint downtown pedestrian zone lined with half-timbered houses normally attracts people from the surrounding region for shopping and cafes. The high waters have now inundated the centuries' old buildings and ripped up the city streets.