While “the storm Alex caused fragilities”, the prefecture calls for caution in the valleys

For the moment, Météo-France evokes only a “low risk of heavy precipitation” for the day of Sunday in the Alpes-Maritimes. But whether they materialize or not, these forecasts fall one year, to the day, after the October 3, 2020 flood in the valleys, which caused the disappearance of eighteen people and billions of euros in damage. And the shadow of a new Mediterranean episode worries. This weekend or later.

Especially since “the storm Alex and the floods made vulnerable a whole series of infrastructures and left many weaknesses which could allow an event even less intense to have much more important effects today”, noted Wednesday the chief of staff of the prefect Benoît Huber.

“The risk of bank retreat exists”

In principle, the most dangerous areas were all identified and secured. “There are still relatively critical situations while reconstruction is underway,” specifies Bernard Cardelli, the departmental flood referent at the Departmental Directorate of Territories and the Sea. And the problem is fairly global. The risk of bank retreat exists in all the valleys that have been affected. “

Of the 420 homes affected by the devastating floods that evening, 180 were totally destroyed and 240 therefore remain standing but present real risks. “These properties have been or are in the process of being expropriated,” continues Benoît Huber. They must therefore be empty and we will make sure of that. “

Respect evacuation orders

The prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes, which launched its “rain flood 2021” prevention campaign on Wednesday, notably recalled the importance of “respecting evacuation orders”. “It is never cheerful when these decisions are made, but they are only made when the risk is proven. And in these cases, don’t think twice and don’t take the time to pack things. Last fall, some paid the price of their lives, ”continues the chief of staff.

Among the eighteen victims of the storm Alex in the Alpes-Maritimes, the Borello couple, a retired couple who lived in Roquebillière, near Saint-Martin-Vésubie, had been taken with their house despite several evacuation orders.

During these incredibly powerful floods, around 100 kilometers of roads were also washed away, around 60 structures were destroyed or seriously damaged and more than 200 kilometers of networks disappeared.


source site