The subject of the protection of land and sea transport infrastructure is whole, indicates the engineer, environmental director, Territorial Climate Energy Plan, transport and mobility, of the Community of Communes of Petite-Terre (CCPT). “You have to stop believing yourself protected by Madagascar or the mangrove, you have to take the risks up to the issues. And when the degradations arise, you feel devoid and not prepared. We are only in the reaction, ”says Mohamed Hamissi. Who quotes as an example the Route de Soulou cracked about a year ago, “it took far too much time to repair this small portion when in attention, it was possible to anticipate”.
He observes the vigilance bulletins of yellow vague submersion emitted by the prefecture, “we are aware of the elevation of sea level, but which offers projects to protect them? The documents tell us that you have to change your strategy, without concrete translation. Boulevard des Crabs is periodically at risk of submersion, but what work is carried out? ».
We have challenged him on the state of certain “wrinkled” roads overhanging a cliff, which seems to be the sign of erosion, “the deal has its role to play, but local communities must challenge it” , he indicates, recalling that small and grande-terre total 143 km of departmental network and 250 km of municipal roads. For the record, 4 million euros had been deemed necessary for the annual maintenance of the road network, barely 25% of this sum is allocated to it. This is without counting the additional risks that are weighing exceptional natural phenomena, “Chido and Dikeledi have swept Mayotte causing considerable damage, but the territory remains vulnerable to landslides, with a very exposed coast and a governance problem that encourages to think, 'It's not my fault, it's the other'! »»
Adopt a strategy
The infrastructure dating from the 1970s and 80s are aging, “The Mamoudzou Sea Front dike towards Pointe Mahabou is invaded by the sea. However, caribus work has a grip at this location with the 4 traffic lanes. Which involves additional costs to secure. “According to him, we can no longer advance the lack of information,” IPCC experts are unanimous on the devastating impacts of climate change “.
The illustration of what should not be done according to him is the management of small and great pleasure ports: “There have been many statements from economic actors, but in the end, Little was done. We can think that in any case, the infrastructure would have been damaged, but we can only see that the Pontons Plaisance and Croisière are HS, the cast boats, and a whole tourist activity stopped. »»
Many have invoked the will of God after Chido, seeing a punishment, “it is especially up to us to take our destiny in hand. Imagine that no barge has survived, that the track is unusable. Mayotte would be cut off from the world, it is impossible to survive without imports of foodstuffs. Our decision -makers must take this subject seriously and adapt a strategy to climate change. “He takes as an example the electrical network,” you have to bury the electrical networks “. An action provided by EDM in the coming months.
Redo by improving the existing
The (re) construction of the territory must be the pretext of improving the existing, “the Petite-Terre shipping station whose roof has flown must be rebuilt by offering more comfort, the maintenance and reset site Who was in the open air must be improved in the context of the installation of caribus with more modern rolling stock, and at the marina, or when we are going to develop maritime urban transport, you have to think now how to store the boats in the event of a new cyclone ”.
We informed it of the protocol at the commercial port forcing to take out the containers offshore during cyclonic alerts, with instructions to protect tugs and pilotins that have not been damaged, “you have to write the same strategy but Caité to the marina and the future sea shuttles. »»
-Laxity does not pay in this area either, it is custody: “the adaptation of our infrastructures to natural risks is essential for users and the economy of the territory”. And to those who fear seeing the prices of developments climb, Mohamed Hamissi speaks of poor calculation, “it will cost much more if the territory is isolated from the world, the invoice will be salty! And if we do not anticipate, it is the one who will pay to repair, that is to say the State, which will decide on the actions to be carried out, creating a governance problem ”.
Risk prevention in specifications
It is therefore necessary on a larger scale to integrate climatic phenomena in public procurement, “it must even be a criterion for selecting candidates. Require a skill on risk prevention, but for that, communities must train their technicians in these areas so that they can gauge good candidates. »»
As we have seen for the boats in the marina, being able to organize prevention, this is not invented, “you need a risk analysis method and implement a strategy. We can for example build dikes, strengthen structures, relocate activities, etc. This is what will protect Mayotte ”.
To do this, the engineer calls to set up a “multidisciplinary working group, with suitable professions, climatologists, architects, etc. »»
We have searched and analyzed the documents already published by the Parliament on the prevention of risks overseas, and Mohamed Hamissi calls for these subjects to be put on the table to develop a culture of anticipation. “We have a public establishment in Mayotte, Cerema, recognized for the quality of its work, many communities have joined it, they can mandate it to study the vulnerability of infrastructure and land and sea transport networks. It would be a first step, ”he concludes, opening up perspectives.
Anne Perzo-Lafond
*Cerema: Center for Studies and Expertise on Risks, the Environment, Mobility and Planning
