After the storm that hit Corsica, in the south of France, municipalities and individuals are beginning to take stock of the bad weather. The human toll is still five dead. The President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron announced that the state of natural disaster would be declared on Wednesday. This status allows the financial support of the damage by the State and the insurances. For the cities affected, it is a relief even if the repairs will be expensive.
Wind gusts over 200km/h are not about to be forgotten in Corsica. Since Friday, the mayors have been counting the numerous damages in their municipalities. Ange Pierre Vivoni is president of the association of mayors of Haute-Corse. He is delighted with the aid from the State and the Corsican regional executive, even if it will not be enough.
” The money will not arrive overnight, the work will have to be done urgently, and that is the cash advance. For example, municipal buildings are covered by our insurance, but not roads. Community insurance does not cover, for example, mudslides, collapsed retaining walls, rutted roads… It is the State that will take charge of this and our region. And for 20%, it will be the taxpayer of the municipality who will pay them. »
For him, it is necessary to rethink all the planning of the territory of the Mediterranean basin and to prepare for future disasters.
” We must stop planting pines next to villas, in campsites. It’s shady, it’s pretty, but after that it also causes disasters. If we don’t prepare for the future now, we will have to mourn other victims. »
Ange Pierre Vivoni also wants the population to be better trained to protect themselves from severe weather. It is certain: because of climate change, this storm is not the last to hit Corsica.
“Paradox”
There are ” medium-to-long-term work to clean up the coast of stranded boats “, before ” they do not become a hazard with floating debris at sea or a pollution factor “, told AFP on Friday the spokesperson for the maritime prefecture.
“ The paradox (…) is that we were delighted with this announced rain because it was going to reduce the risk of fires “, lamented Gilles Simeoni, president of the executive council of Corsica, Friday morning on Radio Classique, regretting” a totally unpredictable situation “.
► To listen again: Deadly storms in Corsica: “These phenomena are extremely difficult to predict”
Arrived in Corsica on Thursday afternoon, the Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin went to Calvi on Friday morning in a disaster-stricken campsite, after a morning visit to the bedside of several wounded in Ajaccio hospital. He promised recognition on Wednesday of the state of natural disaster and the establishment of a ” one stop shop so that affected businesses can get their insurance very quickly “.
Emphasizing that Thursday’s weather alert had “ not allowed to properly qualify these winds ” who have been ” absolutely exceptional “, the Minister announced an investigation by Civil Security. ” We have some rather reassuring news ” injuried people “ who were between life and death or whose vital prognosis was engaged “, he said.
In fear of a new dangerous stormy episode, Corsica had been placed on orange vigilance for a second time on Thursday evening, with an interministerial crisis unit activated.
In total, some 12,500 people from the various campsites in Corsica had been “ made safe in schools or sports centers for the night from Thursday to Friday, depending on the prefecture.
(With AFP)