“We really feel the discontent growing among the residents,” confides Benoît Roussel, mayor of Arques.

In Arques (Pas-de-Calais), the first day of the year is “not very cheerful“, deplores Benoît Roussel, the mayor (PS) of the town. “This morning, from 6 a.m., we saw that the water had already taken over a street in the city center. Basse-Meldyck had emerged from its bed, which returned to touch a street in the town which had unfortunately been hit twice in November“, he explains.

Benoît Roussel “fears the worst”

The councilor hopes that the water does not reach the other streets but “fear the worst“, since 25 mm of rain is forecast in the evening, and 40 mm on Tuesday January 2.”There, we know that it will react because as soon as it rains in the area, the rivers are full of water, so things move“, he explains. Benoît Roussel plans to mobilize”with municipal staff“Tuesday to predict the”possible rising water levels“.

“There is a lot of weariness and we can really feel the discontent growing among the residents.“, finally observes the mayor of the town. Victimized twice in November, many Arquois residents have still not returned to their homes.