Storms in the South: bathing prohibited in eight beaches of the Basque Country and in Marseille

On a Marseille beach, lifeguards evacuate swimmers who defy the ban. To Due to the torrential rains, the quality of the water has deteriorated. Vacationers will have to wait a few days before swimming, which frustrates some. The water today contains various bacteria, which the town hall considers dangerous, especially for young children. “You can have very large pimples on the skin, on the body (…) and even a kind of gastroenteritis with internal bleeding”explains Hervé Menchon, deputy mayor of Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône), in charge of marine biodiversity.

On some beaches in the Basque Country too, swimming is prohibited because of bad weather, because of the bacteria they have caused. Most beaches have been able to reopen, but the authorities remain vigilant. “There are still beaches that are closed, as long as they are beaches with mouths and in a bay that is closed”, indicates Emmanuel Alzuei, mayor (SE) of Bidart (Pyrénées-Atlantiques). In Marseille, two-thirds of the beaches are expected to remain closed all weekend.