Flood-zone building row after Aude deaths

Fourteen people died in October when flash floods caused by violent autumn storms devastated towns and villages around Carcassonne, leaving a trail of overturned cars, damaged roads and collapsed homes.

In Trèbes, the river rose nearly 8 metres in a matter of hours, to reach its highest recorded point since 1891. But the weather phenomenon that caused the tragedy, known as “épisodes méditerranéens” or “orages cévenols”, is common.

One of the properties flooded was a brand new multi-million-euro hospital that had been built in a flood zone.

It was the latest in a series of floods in recent years – the spring floods of 2016, and winter floods in early 2018, notably in and around Paris. Flooding accounts for some €533million worth of payouts every year.

Official figures also reveal one in four French people (17 million) lives in an area prone to flooding, with 50% of all cities, towns and villages having built-up areas in flood-risk zones. Some areas are even more prone. In the Aude, 39% of residents live in flood-risk areas.

Information of local flood risk can be found at the state site: www.georisques.gouv.fr

An Interior Ministry spokesman suggested an initial first red alert about the Aude floods had come “too late”, and that orange alerts are used so frequently that people “no longer take notice” of them.

- but 61 departments on water alert

Despite flooding in the southwest of France, water restrictions were in place in 61 departments – and more than half include ‘crise’ zones (the highest alert) – on October 21 as we went to press due to exceptionally low water levels. See the official site propluvia.developpement-durable.gouv.fr

Crise alert is defined as allowing only water for drinking, civil security and usage related to health.

It comes as water levels in Lake Annecy in Haute Savoie had fallen to as low as 25cm in places and experts predict it could drop another 10cm before the situation improves.