The four halls of the Nürnburgring are now packed with aid, mainly clothing for women, men and children, which have come in from all over the country and beyond.
RTL reporter Jeannot Ries is on site, and reports that the centre is spread out over the size of several football fields, and has seen lorries, ambulances, cranes and army trucks use it as their base for operations. Helicopters are flying drinking water out to affected areas.
The act of solidarity and support has been enormous, according to a spokesperson for the racing circuit, who said that his team had set up the site and only communicated about it via social media. In a short time, it had not only developed into a regional aid initiative, but become a national crisis centre. From here, goods are distributed to people in need. Over 1,000 volunteers are active there right now.
Chancellor Angela Merkel is to visit flood-ravaged areas in Germany on Sunday. At least 156 people have died since Wednesday in Germany’s worst flooding in living memory, police said in an update Sunday morning.
Aid and support has also come from Luxembourg. The CGDIS and Red Cross sent 22 people and 10 ambulances to the crisis centre. As the situation is still developing, the use of the crisis centre will be extended beyond Sunday evening.
Ben Baus from the CGDIS, who leads the operation, left for the Nürnburgring with his team on Friday evening around 10pm. That night, they were tasked with evacuating 24 patients from a nearby hospital.
“The images you see are completely different than when you’re there...when you speak with people, some have lost everything”, said Baus. His team is expected to remain at the circuit until at least Wednesday.
