In the district of Gajac, hairdressers, pharmacists, restaurants try to continue their activity as best they can. The hailstorm that fell on the Gironde on June 20, 2022 caused, for many of them, enormous damage. The Liberty pharmacy is no longer open to its patients. The roof of the apartment above collapsed, flooding the ceiling of the pharmacy. A small wooden cabinet blocks the entrance: “Pharmacy open, please wait outside”.
Sandrine Garnier has been the holder for 2 years: “In some places, the ceilings threaten to collapse. The firefighters asked us to close the interior of the pharmacy to customers”, she explains. It is the reserve that has been the most affected. Sandrine Garnier estimates that a third of the drugs were lost, due to water, during the hailstorm. On Friday, a container will be placed on the sidewalk, in front of the dispensary. It will allow the six pharmacists to welcome their customers and offer products for sale. “We will have this algeco for at least four months, until the work is done”, says the manager.
“We can’t find roofers to cover the roof”
A kilometer away, the Vincendeau bodywork is not yet at the reopening stage. The roof, pierced by hailstones, allows the sun’s rays to pass through. It is still not covered: “There are 2,000 square meters of surface throughout the garage, explains David, one of the managers. There are no roofers who manage to put tarpaulins on the roof. This morning again, they came and then left to look for other tarpaulins.
In 50 years, this family garage had never experienced a shutdown. There is no more electricity. David, his sister Magali and their brother Laurent hope the machines will still work when the power returns. Of the 50 cars that lay in the garage on the night of June 20, 30 were broken by hailstones. The experts have passed. They estimate the damage at more than 3 million euros. David, Magali and Laurent Vincendeau keep their spirits up. They hope to be able to return to work as soon as possible. The future of their bodywork and the fifteen employees who can no longer work depends on it.