In Formerie, we continue to empty the garages and clean the graves, two days after the storms

Picardy was spared by the storms this weekend. Except, the commune of Formerie in the Oise. This town of 2,000 inhabitants was hit hard by violent storms and heavy rains. In total 47 homes were affected. Houses and cellars were flooded. It is especially the cemetery of the commune which has experienced the most impressive damage.

This Monday, many families of the deceased came with sponges and brooms to clean the graves. On the graves, one could find mud dried by the return of the sun. “We’ve never seen that”, is surprised Philippe, staring into space. In the aisles of the cemetery, everyone is still very touched by what may have happened.

These are our deceased, so it is a part of ourselves that is affected

“We come because we have to take care of our dead”, assures a young woman. The emotion is strong for many of them like François, sobs in their voices. “These are our deceased, so it is a part of ourselves that is affected”he assures, looking at the grave of his parents.

A little further on, a vault even came out of the ground. In total, more than 50 centimeters of water swept through the cemetery on Saturday. After the passage of the storm, the earth moves. Holes have even formed between graves, with a depth reaching 1.20 meters. Maryse has her son buried here and fears the worst. “My son might be in the water. What can we do, nothing. We can just put flowers on him.”

The technical services of the city should intervene this Tuesday to assess and restore the premises in order to forget this episode and turn the page.

Flooded garages and houses

In one area of ​​the City, the water has reached an even more impressive height. More than a meter of water rushed into Pascale and Jean-Claude’s garage. “It’s a torrent that has arrived”. So for the past two days, they have been sorting and emptying the premises in search of things to save. In their garden, it is their life that is piled up.

“The wooden furniture, we’ll see if we can save it. I think the mower is finished”assures this inhabitant. “The worst are the family photos that have taken on water. I was doing my genealogy. We have nothing left. We have no more memories. It’s hard“, specifies Jean-Claude.

The mayor was also not spared. “I’m the only house on the street to have been hit. When you go downstairs and see your washing machine floating, it’s true that it does something. There was water up to the seat of my wife’s car. I think it’s ruined”, says William Bous. But the man remains calm. “What matters to me is that no one died.”

This is the second flood the town has experienced. The first was 14 years ago. To hear the inhabitants, it was much more important than that of Saturday. “We have since set up storm basins and co., but faced with 83 millimeters of water falling in one hour, we can’t do anything!assures William Bous.

A second flood that angers Michel.

“The problem is that in my neighborhood the houses are too low compared to the mains drainage. There was a front pond in place of our house. So every time there are heavy storms, it’s fatal”assures this inhabitant who is wondering about leaving. “We’re fed up. We have to start all over again”.

The mayor will request recognition of the state of natural disaster for his municipality.