The 550 inhabitants of Levergies (Aisne) will be evacuated from their homes from Tuesday to Friday for an operation to evacuate a depot of around 1,500 shells from the First World War, AFP learned Monday (October 11) from the mayor of the municipality and the prefecture.
This evacuation, which will only be effective during the day, "as
well as the stoppage of all commercial and traffic activity
" should allow "
the neutralization and displacement of the shells by the demining services to the destruction site
", affirmed the prefecture in a press release.
Read alsoA shell from World War II discovered at the Porte de la Chapelle in Paris
A security perimeter of 800 meters around the shell depot, of some 28 tons, will be entirely evacuated, "
the inhabitants of the town will therefore have to leave their homes before 8:30 am
" and will be able to return to their homes "
after 4:30 pm
", specified the prefecture.
German shells
The operation will mobilize "
more than 100 state and local government personnel
", according to the prefecture, including about fifteen deminers, according to the mayor of the town, Bernard Nuttens.
"
About ten years ago, already 16 tons of shells
" had been evacuated from the town, "
but they were a little scattered, there they are stacked like cigarettes, if an explode, everything explodes
", a- he explained to AFP.
These "
German shells, buried up to five meters deep
" were "
discovered in a field located 300 meters as the crow flies from the center of the village during pyrotechnic excavations to dig an access path to future wind turbines,
”said the city councilor.
They must be sent for "
destruction to the Sissonne military camp
", 80km away.
A dozen residents without an accommodation solution will be accommodated during the day in a nearby nursing home, while the 98 students of the village primary school will be accommodated in a college in the locality near Fresnoy le Grand, the prefecture said. .
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