A symbolic move. The government spokesperson, Olivier Véran, and the Minister of Ecological Transition, Christophe Béchu, arrived at the end of the morning in Thérouanne (Pas-de-Calais), Thursday January 4, while the department is still placed on vigilance red at floods by Météo-France. They are coming “note the damage and provide support to residents and local elected officials”, specifies a press release. Follow our live stream.
The decline has begun. The decline of the Aa “began during the night from Wednesday to Thursday, but the levels remain exceptionally high”, warns Vigicrues. Pas-de-Calais is still placed on red flood alert. Four other departments remain on orange alert: Ardennes, Aisne, Meuse and Nord. On the other hand, Météo-France has lifted the orange vigilance on Meurthe-et-Moselle and Moselle.
Many residents concerned. Wednesday evening, 189 municipalities and 1,299 homes were affected by the rising water levels of the Aa, the Liane, the Hem, the Canche, the Lys-Plaine, the Lys-Amont and the Lawe-Clarence, according to a report from the Pas-de-Calais prefecture at 8 p.m.
Significant relief resources deployed. Some 450 firefighters from the department can be mobilized, as well as 120 zonal and national personnel as reinforcements (firefighters and soldiers from civil security training units), details the prefecture. Finally, nearly 180 staff can intervene if necessary.
A septuagenarian found dead near Nantes. A 73-year-old man was discovered dead in his partially submerged car in Loire-Atlantique on Wednesday afternoon, after apparently turning onto a road closed to traffic due to flooding, the Nantes prosecutor’s office announced. .