It comes as most of France is experiencing a heatwave this week, with people warned to spend at least three hours a day in cool buildings out of the heat.
The communes where the state of natural disaster have been declared are all in the Loiret area south of Paris, of which the capital is Orléans.
See below for the full list of communes – those living there whose homes suffered damage have just until Tuesday July 2 to contact their insurers.
It is only possible to claim on the garantie catastrophes naturalles included in home insurance policies for a limited window after the state of natural disaster has been declared by the government.
The mayor of Orléans, Olivier Carré, said on Twitter he wished to thank “all those who took action to let the state know the terrible situation of hundreds of families whose houses are cracked or uninhabitable”.
The damage is due to the ground under the properties shifting due to drought and subsequent rehydration of the ground.
A second list of communes will be declared in coming days.
As for this week’s heatwave, it is expected to be at its worst from tomorrow (Wednesday) until Friday and many departments are on orange alert, meaning people should take great care.
The advice put out by Météo France this week includes moistening your body several times a day, drinking plenty of water frequently even if you are not thirsty and avoid going out at the hottest times.
See here for more about this week's heatwave.
And see this link for a previous article about making natural disaster claims.
The following communes are listed as having suffered natural disasters due to drought from July 1 to December 31, 2018.
Aillant-sur-Milleron, Amilly, Le Bardon, Batilly-en-Gâtinais, Beaugency, Beaulieu-sur-Loire, Beaune-la-Rolande, Boigny-sur-Bionne, Boiscommun, Bonny-sur-Loire, Bou, Boynes, Briare, Bricy, La Bussière, Cercottes, Chaingy, Chanteau, La Chapelle-Saint-Mesmin, Le Charme, Chécy, Chevillon-sur-Huillard, Chuelles, Conflans-sur-Loing, Corquilleroy, Courtenay, Cravant, Donnery, Douchy-Montcorbon, Égry, Fay-aux-Loges, Foucherolles, Gien, Griselles, Huisseau-sur-Mauves, Ingré, Mardié, Mareau-aux-Prés, Marigny-les-Usages, Marsainvilliers , Meung-sur-Loire, Nancray-sur-Rimarde, Nogent-sur-Vernisson, Orléans, Ormes, Paucourt, Pithiviers, Pithiviers-le-Vieil, Poilly-lez-Gien, Rebréchien, Rozières-en-Beauce, Saint-Brisson-sur-Loire, Saint-Cyr-en-Val, Saint-Denis-de-l'Hôtel, Saint-Denis-en-Val, Saint-Gondon, Saint-Hilaire-les-Andrésis, Saint-Hilaire-Saint-Mesmin, Saint-Jean-de-Braye, Saint-Jean-de-la-Ruelle, Saint-Jean-le-Blanc, Saint-Martin-sur-Ocre, Saint-Maurice-sur-Aveyron, Saint-Michel, Saint-Pryvé-Saint-Mesmin, Sandillon, Saran, La Selle-sur-le-Bied, Semoy, Tavers, Triguères, Varennes-Changy, Villemandeur, Villorceau.
The following communes are listed as having suffered natural disasters due to drought from July 1 to December 31, 2018.
Artenay, Auxy, Bazoches-les-Gallerandes, Beauchamps-sur-Huillard, Bellegarde, Bouilly-en-Gâtinais, Bouzonville-aux-Bois, Bouzy-la-Forêt, Bray-Saint-Aignan, Bromeilles, Cernoy-en-Berry, Chailly-en-Gâtinais, Chambon-la-Forêt, Châteauneuf-sur-Loire, Château-Renard, Châtenoy, Châtillon-Coligny, Chaussy, Chevilly, Cléry-Saint-André, Coudroy, Coulmiers, La Cour-Marigny, Courtemaux, Desmonts, Férolles, La Ferté-Saint-Aubin, Fréville-du-Gâtinais, Germigny-des-Prés, Greneville-en-Beauce, Guigneville, Huêtre, Ingrannes, Isdes, Juranville, Ladon, Lion-en-Beauce, Lombreuil, Lorcy, Lorris, Loury, Louzouer, Mareau-aux-Bois, Mézières-en-Gâtinais, Mézières-lez-Cléry, Mignerette, Montliard, Moulon, Nesploy, Neuville-aux-Bois, Nibelle, Ousson-sur-Loire, Ouvrouer-les-Champs, Ouzouer-sous-Bellegarde, Ouzouer-sur-Loire, Patay, Quiers-sur-Bézonde, Ruan, Saint-Aignan-le-Jaillard, Saint-Firmin-des-Bois, Saint-Loup-des-Vignes, Saint-Martin-d'Abbat, Saint-Maurice-sur-Fessard, Saint-Péravy-la-Colombe, Saint-Sigismond, Santeau, Sully-la-Chapelle, Tivernon, Traînou, Vennecy, Vieilles-Maisons-sur-Joudry, Vienne-en-Val, Viglain, Villemoutiers, Villemurlin, Villevoques, Vitry-aux-Loges.
