The department is placed by Météo France on red alert for floods, due to an “exceptional flood” expected on the coastal river Aa, leading to the closure of schools in 33 municipalities including Saint-Omer.
“The soils are already waterlogged”what “generates new floods”worries Jacques Billant, the prefect of Pas-de-Calais, on the evening of Monday November 6 on franceinfo. “The situation remains worrying”, he warns. The department is placed on red flood alert until Tuesday, and Vigicrues predicts a more violent phenomenon than the exceptional flood of 2002.
There is “60 municipalities”, who are still suffering the consequences of the floods last Thursday, during the passage of storm Ciaran, recalls the prefect. There is still “road cuts” and other damage in the areas of “Saint-Omer, of Boulogne”, describes Jacques Billant. He is also worried about possible electricity cuts, while this evening, again “1,500” homes” are without power.
It is in this same sector that are expected “widespread outbursts last night”or 36 municipalities, specifies the prefect, which represent a living area of “120,000 inhabitants”. Jacques Billant also discusses the resources mobilized, with “220 firefighters on the ground”and regional and national reinforcements expected. “Since this morning, more than 440 interventions have already been carried out to pump out houses” or evacuate them if necessary, adds the senior official.
“We are in a kind of trough”
“We are in Saint-Omer at a very low point, in a kind of basin” And “we have put in place solutions to be able to evacuate large volumes of water towards the sea”declares on franceinfo François Decoster mayor of Saint-Omer in Pas-de-Calais. “The pumping resources are running at full capacity. We have relayed the messages of great caution from the prefecture to prepare us for this night during which we will experience this peak of the flood”continues the mayor of Saint-Omer.
“We are ready, if absolutely necessary, to be able to evacuate a certain number of homes and welcome the populations who could be affected.”
François Decoster, mayor of Saint-Omerat franceinfo
The Aa is affected at Saint-Omer by a “exceptional flood capable of exceeding the historic flood of 2002” 40 cm, according to Vigicrues. The red alert applies until Tuesday evening. “We have done a lot since 2002 to contain these floods, but we are at levels which are higher than those of 2002, which is why we are particularly on alert and we are at the level of a red alert”.
Schools, colleges, high schools and nurseries will be closed this Tuesday, “this is a precautionary measure to avoid a certain number of trips”nevertheless “We must not give in to panic, we are mobilized to help in any situation”confides the mayor of Saint-Omer.