Visiting the disaster victims in Lot-et-Garonne, Jean Castex pleaded Friday for the state of natural disaster to be declared "as soon as possible" in the southwestern areas that have suffered heavy flooding.
"We discussed with the elected officials [...] the declaration of natural disaster that we are going to investigate as always with great diligence so that it can be declared as soon as possible", indicated the Prime Minister on the occasion of a short speech, from the commune of Marmande.
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Floods in the South-West: "We have 40 cm of water in our ground floor"
Arrived in Marmande around 2:45 p.m., after a helicopter flight over the flooded lands, Jean Castex visited the firefighters and local elected officials, to whom he "wanted to show solidarity, the solidarity of the State towards vis-à-vis all those concerned ”.
"I would like to underline the strong mobilization of the rescue services which were as usual, quite exemplary", insisted the Prime Minister, after having reviewed the manpower of a barracks and exchanged with members of the protection civilians and the gendarmerie.
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Storm #Justine: statement by @JeanCastex from Marmande, in Lot-et-Garonne.
https://t.co/hRgnH2rvGK
- Government (@gouvernementFR) February 5, 2021
He also spoke with a resident, in whom there was still a meter of mud, and to whom he assured that would be "of course" declared the state of "natural disaster".
"And please, no containment," replied this disaster victim in return.
360 evacuations in Lot-et-Garonne
The head of government also mentioned the need to carry out "more structural actions" in the face of "these recurring climatic phenomena", in particular by "reinforcing dikes".
In Marmande and its surroundings, the Garonne has reached exceptional heights, justifying a classification in red vigilance for 24 hours, but without exceeding the levels of the great flood of 1981, namely 10.56 m.
Thursday morning, the Garonne had already dropped significantly in Marmande, with 7.60 m at 9 a.m.
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According to the prefecture, the rising water levels have led to some 360 evacuations in the department, the majority preventively and managed by the municipalities.
In total, the Lot-et-Garonne firefighters have carried out more than 300 interventions, related to the Justine meteorological event and the floods that followed, since last weekend.
Floods in the South-West: "An exceptional flood"
