The Chapel of Lights on the sanctuary was also flooded during the night and the damage cannot yet be estimated.
The sanctuary of Lourdes was partially flooded during the night from Friday to Saturday, causing the grotto to be closed, while several floods affected the department, AFP learned from concordant sources.
Located a few meters from the Gave de Pau, a waterway crossing the city, the grotto of the sanctuary of Lourdes was flooded last night around 2 a.m., according to David Torchala, director of communications for the sanctuary. “The water rose very quickly last night”the latter indicates, adding “that there were no injuries” or emergency intervention.
“The water is going down”
The Chapel of Lights on the sanctuary was also flooded during the night and the damage cannot be explained for the time being. “not yet to be estimated”The rest of the sanctuary is still open to the public, however, and pilgrims are present at the site, while the celebrations planned at the cave have been moved.
“The water is going down at the moment”added the sanctuary’s communications director. For its part, the Lourdes town hall announced in a press release issued in the morning, “a very high level” of the Gave de Pau before indicating a “recession started”.
“A lot of flooding” in the Hautes-Pyrénées
Across the city, firefighters from the Hautes-Pyrénées told AFP “have a lot of flooding” on Saturday morning.
Around thirty people were brought to safety in municipal buildings by the emergency services, while around 500 people are without electricity in a town located in the south of the department, a correspondent told AFP.
The Hautes-Pyrénées have been placed on alert by Météo-France for rain and flooding for Friday and until Saturday at midnight.
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