Four days after the passage of the storm Fiona, the Minister Delegate for Overseas Jean-François Carenco arrived Wednesday in Guadeloupe, promised a decree of natural disaster "before Saturday".
Emergency aid will be deployed to deal with the problems of "water, roads, rehousing", he insisted.
In Pointe-à-Pitre, the minister assured the press that he had come "as a sign of government support" and to express "publicly the affection of the Nation at a time when Guadeloupe is suffering".
Tropical storm Fiona, which has since become a category 3 hurricane, hit Guadeloupe over the weekend, with strong winds, torrential rains and floods that killed one person.
“Very big works are to be expected”
The president of the department, Guy Losbar, called for a "major reconstruction plan" for Guadeloupe, costing "more than a billion euros".
On Wednesday, nearly 60,000 customers (individuals or businesses) were still without water there due to significant damage to network facilities.
Such as the Center Hospitalier de Basse-Terre, which made it known that this compromised its proper functioning and the continuity of care.
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"Very large works are to be expected" for the return to service of the water network, indicated the Mixed Syndicate of Water Management and Sanitation of Guadeloupe (SMGEAG), evoking at least "several weeks" before returning to normal.
A plane and 40 reinforcements bringing "a machine capable of making river water drinkable" were to arrive Wednesday evening in Guadeloupe in order to make up for the shortcomings in the most affected areas, announced Jean-François Carenco.
The Orsec (Organization of the civil security response) drinking water system was implemented "as soon as the event ended and remains mobilized", also assured the minister in a letter to the deputy of Guadeloupe Olivier Serra, who had demanded the triggering of this device.
In Guadeloupe, many activists have been asking for a long time for the establishment of this plan in a sustainable way, because of the critical situation of the water networks on the island, which are dilapidated and which do not ensure the distribution of drinking water for all. .
A "risk of collapse" on several bridges
The ministerial visit continued in the commune of Goyave.
In some places, the overflow of the sewers, mixed with the mud, spreads a pestilential smell.
Everywhere the inhabitants find accommodation, help each other, while waiting for more lasting solutions, of which no one knows when they will arrive.
#official visit.
Minister Jean-François Carenco met the victims of the zac de l'aiguille in #Goyave with the elected officials of #Guadeloupe and assured them of the support of the #government and the communities of the territory.
pic.twitter.com/nS05z8HM3O
— Prefecture of Guadeloupe (@PrfecturedeGua1) September 21, 2022
The municipality has not finished listing the damage.
Mayor Ferdy Louisy mentions 200 homes and more than 1,000 people affected for the Aiguille social housing area.
The road network of the archipelago also suffered from the passage of the storm.
"About fifteen bridges are weakened," said the prefect, Alexandre Rochatte.
The mayor has issued orders in Capesterre-Belle-Eau, south-east of the island of Basse-Terre, to prohibit passage through certain bridges "given the risk of collapse".
