The work to restore infrastructure and property in the Aspe Valley, which was hit by severe weather over the weekend, will continue. “probably counted in months”said the prefect of Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Julien Charles, on Monday.
In four valley communes, twenty-five houses, numerous vehicles and a pedestrian bridge were destroyed after torrents of water and mud “carrying impressive quantities of rocks and pebbles”have invaded the streets of the villages, according to the prefect. In the commune of Urdos, part of the access road to the Somport tunnel, leading to the border with Spain, collapsed in a landslide.
The rescue operations, which led to the evacuation of nine people over the weekend, “are almost complete”explained the prefect at the end of a meeting held in the village of Etsaut with the mayors of the valley, but a handful of people still remain isolated, particularly in the upper districts of the commune of Borce. “They are there voluntarily and are safe.” assured Julien Charles, specifying that he was working in “emergency” to the restoration of“driveable access” for these isolated people and for the shepherds still in the mountains with their flocks.
“Lands forged by water”
The damage assessment will take longer. An economic unit will be set up to “trigger the process of financial support for communities to restore their roads and facilities”. About a hundred people were still without electricity on Monday afternoon. The prefect warned of the risk of new landslides, particularly in the mountains. “where the lands are waterlogged”with further rainfall expected mid-week.
With the collapse of this national road 134, access to Spain via the Somport tunnel, the 700 to 1,000 trucks that use this route every day will have to move to the ends of the Pyrenees chain, via the motorway accesses of Biriatou (Pyrénées-Atlantiques) or Perthus (Pyrénées-Orientales), according to the authorities. During the night from Friday to Saturday, heavy rainfall hit the department, without causing any casualties. On Sunday, in Etsaut, the village square and the ground floors were still blocked under 1.50 metres of pebbles and rocks.
