Charente-Maritime experienced a major flood episode this weekend, bringing the Charente river to a peak on Sunday at the end of the day. The decline is expected to be very slow in the days to come.
Critical situation in Saintes
The town of Saintes was hit hard, with the river reaching a level of 6.09 meters on Sunday evening, close to historic records. Around 1,000 homes were flooded in the town and 150 people had to be evacuated by the authorities. The flood caused significant material damage and major disruption, affecting residential and commercial areas. Many businesses and public infrastructures suffered damage or had to interrupt their activities.
Laborious decline expected
The river level should fall very slowly, centimeter by centimeter, due to the slight slope of the Charente bed in this area. The local topography does not favor a rapid flow of water. In addition, soil saturation and further precipitation expected this week should also slow down the evacuation of excess water. Despite the peak now past, the criticality of the situation remains high as evidenced by the continued orange vigilance by the authorities.
Impact on the population
The floods had serious consequences for the residents. Many residents had to be displaced and rehoused in reception centers by the authorities, sometimes abandoning their homes precipitously. Transport and travel were severely disrupted by the floods, complicating daily journeys. Several schools and public services had to close or adapt to the situation. The approach of the Christmas holidays is a source of concern for many local residents who fear they will not be able to return to their homes by then. This episode is also a source of stress and fatigue for a population already affected by previous floods.
The prefecture calls for the greatest caution and vigilance in the days to come, as a return to normal is not expected before the end of the Christmas weekend at best. The population is invited to scrupulously follow the instructions of the authorities to get through this episode with minimal damage.
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