One year after the bad weather which caused significant damage in the Southern Alps, Françoise Gatel, the Minister of Rural Affairs announced this Thursday, exceptional aid of more than 30 million euros for the two lower Alpine departments, during a visit to Guillestre and Risoul.
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“Exceptional support, in view of these extreme events which caused damage of historic scale, has been decided”, announced the Minister of Rural Affairs, Françoise Gatel, traveling this Thursday, November 28 in Guillestrois. Of the envelope of 48 million euros released by the State to the four southeastern departments affected by the violent bad weather at the end of 2023, 20.3 million euros will be allocated to Hautes-Alpes. For the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, exceptional support of €14.5 million including €11 million for the departmental council and €3.5 million for the municipal block was announced by the minister. Two other departments are concerned: Alpes-Maritimes and Ardèche.
>>> Also read: IN PICTURES. Storm Aline: collapsed bridge, flooded roads, bad weather causes significant damage in the Hautes-Alpes
“These events are repeated regularly and are violent, we must therefore anticipate together and prepare to adapt the territory both in its habitat, but also the economy and infrastructure to these new climatic conditions”, declared the minister. The creation of a feedback mission was decided, in association with elected officials, added Françoise Gatel. The first evaluations are expected after three months and after five months, the mission will make its prevention recommendations.
These 20 million euros allocated to Hautes-Alpes will be allocated between the municipalities and the department, depending on the declarations of expenses which are not taken into account by insurance.
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On the scale of the small town of Vallouise Pelvoux, several hundred thousand euros of emergency work had to be undertaken following these bad weather. “I am satisfied with the announcement, now I am waiting to see the envelope”declared Gaëlle Moreau. Regarding what remains to be done in terms of infrastructure, she estimates the cost for her municipality at five million euros. “The municipality cannot undertake this major work alone”she adds.
Storm Aline in October 2023 then the bad weather that occurred in November and December had violently hit certain municipalities in Hautes-Alpes, Alpes-Maritimes, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence as well as Ardèche. Some of these municipalities had already been affected by storm Alex which occurred at the end of 2020.
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