The damage in the Alpes-Maritimes is considerable.
The deputy Éric Ciotti estimates them in total at 1.5 billion euros.
Bridges, roads, houses ... The torrents of mud which ravaged the valleys of Vésubie, Roya and Tinée swept away everything in their path, leaving a spectacle of desolation and populations deprived of running water, electricity and, for many, roof.
Read also: Alpes-Maritimes: why the extreme rains will intensify
These extraordinary floods killed at least six people, and nine people are still missing and 13 others
"supposedly missing"
, according to the firefighters of the department.
Beyond the thousands of rescuers and volunteers who are still hard at work in the disaster areas, many economic players have been keen to help, on a voluntary basis.
Companies from Nice have organized fundraising events and made stocks of equipment, water and food available.
Le Figaro
spoke with a few people among the many professionals who spontaneously offered to provide their support.
“
Previously there were two distinct populations in the area: the people of the shore who were sinners and those of the mountains.
After World War II, people from the mountains came down to find work in the cities, so today many seaside dwellers still have ties to the villages in the mountains, ”
explains Eric. , commercial in the cargo area of Nice airport.
This is also the case.
His family home is located near the Vésubie.
Water supply
Quickly, he contacted one of his clients, the leader in French mineral water Ogeu, to find out if he was able to provide bottled water.
“
When I had my client on the phone, he had already planned to make donations, but he did not know how to transport them to the area,
” he says.
He then contacted a friend, a member of the National Federation of Road Transport.
"
FNTR members discussed to see which company had trucks and drivers available to bring food to the affected areas as soon as possible,
" said the latter.
This collaboration has borne fruit as from Monday a truck was mobilized to transport the water pallets to the town of Carross.
The Ogeu group provided pallets of water which were transported on Monday by members of the FNTR Eric Maïssa
Some drivers who were sometimes victims of the storm themselves also volunteered to make trips on their days off.
"
In my company, a young driver
who had been blocked from Friday noon to Saturday noon after delivering a customer was willing to leave the next day to supply the victims
", relates the boss member of the FNTR contacted by Le Figaro.
Mobilization of Decathlon employees
At the Lingostière Decathlon, employees also wanted to act.
"
We know the disaster areas, that's where we usually practice
," explains a store manager.
“
Sunday we started talking to each other (store employees, editor's note) to see what we could do to help the victims.
As soon as the store opened on Monday, we first organized a place to collect donations (from customers, editor's note) because it was the initiative that we could set up as quickly as possible,
”explains- he does.
Store management has also mobilized by making part of its stocks available.
“
We then contacted the distribution centers managed by the prefecture to find out what the most urgent needs were and on Monday I took my car to collect stocks of stoves and gas cartridges from the Decathlon stores in the department. and tablets to purify the water belonging to the company,
”continues the department manager.
As of Monday, the store's employees brought "
a first draft
" to the center of Menton.
Firefighters and civil security were then able to transport equipment and donations from individuals to the area.
The stock of stoves, gas cartridges and tablets to purify water donated by Decathlon.
Decathlon Lingostière
The routing of resources is still difficult, a week after the disaster.
If some roads have been partially cleared by firefighters and military engineers, air transport remains for the moment the only reliable means to bring to the inhabitants the products resulting from this surge of solidarity.
