Four days after his passage through the Landes and the Basque Country, the Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin was in Béarn this Friday, visiting the town of Laruns, in the Ossau valley, affected since this weekend of 10- December 11-12 when torrential rains, combined with the snowmelt, descended in the heart of the village. He assured that the State would financially support the rehabilitation from the community.
Robert Casadebaig, the mayor of Laruns, estimated the damage at more than a million euros, in addition to the two million two years ago – since the same phenomenon had already occurred in another street of the common – making over three million in all. He also asked the Minister of the Interior to validate a three-year study in order to better understand the moving areas of the mountain, as already exists for avalanches. “This can happen again, so we must act in prevention and not in the fact of the loss suffered”, explained Robert Casadebaig. Gérald Darmanin validated this study.
Stroll in the village
– Manon Claverie
The Minister of the Interior then strolled through the streets of the village – that of Bialé especially, transformed into a torrent of water on Saturday 11 December – where he spoke with the few inhabitants who came out from behind their window to come and meet him. “It’s not every day that you see a minister in Laruns!” rejoiced Alain Erreçaret, a Larunsois. “It reassured me to see him because we are still very marked psychologically. Now I hope that for Christmas he will write a little check to the town!”
– Manon Claverie
The state of natural disaster was recognized this Friday for 113 municipalities in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, including of course Laruns.