Nice (AFP)
Prime Minister Jean Castex on Saturday expressed in Nice his "serious concern over the final assessment" of the severe bad weather in the Alpes-Maritimes where eight people are reported missing and where there is no news of "many people".
The results are "at this stage: at least eight (missing persons) some, and very many people of whom we have no news. I do not hide from you our deep concern on the final results of this episode," said the head of the government, during a press point at the Nice prefecture.
Two firefighters, a captain and a volunteer firefighter, are among those missing, he said.
"The natural disaster procedure" is "initiated" so that the Council of Ministers "can declare it as of next Wednesday", added the Prime Minister.
He was speaking after having flown over, in the company of the Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin, the disaster areas and after having gone to Saint-Martin-Vésubie to "observe the damage and speak with the mayor, the forces of security and the affected population ".
"I must tell you that I was particularly impressed by what I saw today", underlined Mr. Castex, noting a "climatic phenomenon quite exceptional".
In total, 500 millimeters of rain fell on Friday in less than 10 hours, or "half of the total rainfall of the department in 2019", "unheard of since the installation of the measuring instruments".
"As I speak to you, the priority is to find the victims, to supply and shelter the affected populations and to restore the means of communication, in particular with the 12 municipalities which have been the hardest hit" , declared the head of government who deployed in the morning complementary forces of the army.
"We will also unblock, he added, extreme emergency aid for families who have had to leave their homes" and "at the beginning of next week, the devices will also be implemented allowing communities, who have suffered quite impressive material damage, to benefit from the solidarity of the State. "
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