BAD NEUENAHR-AHRWEILER, Germany — Business owners in a town badly hit by the record flooding in Germany struggled on Saturday to pick up the pieces after their livelihoods — from old books to wine — were swept away or caked in sludge.
Mud still filled the streets of Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, nestled in the Ahrweiler district where at least 98 people were killed.
“Everything is completely destroyed. You don’t recognize the scenery,” said Michael Lang, owner of the Ahrweindepot wine shop, fighting back tears.
“You cannot imagine the change that has taken place in the countryside,” he added, standing in front of the remnants of his store in the town’s historic center. “The …
Keep on reading: Germany’s floods cover livelihoods in sludge