For several months, owners affected by gaping cracks have been worried about the refusal of recognition as a natural disaster for their municipality. They denounce a situation that they consider deeply unfair.
The municipality has filed a request for recognition in a state of natural disaster (known as Cat Nat regime). Indeed, the year 2023 was marked by multiple climatic events likely to weaken homes. For the period from October 1 to December 31, 2023, the Cat Nat regime was recognized for 30 municipalities in the department, but not for Saint-Lys.
The time between a drought and the appearance of damage makes disaster analysis complex. Since the 2000s, a more rigorous method, the dual reservoir water balance, requires a detailed analysis of soil moisture to determine whether a drought is intense enough to trigger compensation. Faced with the exceptional drought of 2003, the criteria were once again adapted with the creation of a new indicator, developed by Météo-France, in order to better assess the intensity of these events. These developments reflect the increasing complexity of drought assessment and the need to constantly adapt recognition criteria to guarantee fair and equitable compensation for victims. “The refusal can sometimes come down to a degree of variation between two neighboring municipalities,” explained Céline Bruniera, elected to town planning, during an informal meeting.
Even when recognition of a state of natural disaster is obtained, compensation rests on a fragile balance. The result of a public-private partnership, the Cat Nat plan provides affordable coverage to the majority of policyholders.
Ultimately, behind these cracks, a larger problem looms. These phenomena, destined to intensify, endanger real estate assets, particularly in cities like Saint-Lys, where the remarkable facades of buildings are particularly vulnerable.
Despite everything, owners continue to hope for recognition to deal with this growing damage.
