Heavy rainfall fell in the town of Saint-Martin-Vésubie.
Some 52 people stranded in this sector were evacuated to a hotel and a community hall in this village in the Alpes-Maritimes.
Several structures were submerged and threatened.
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Storms, exceptional floods, floods… France faces a series of bad weather
The village of Saint-Martin-Vésubie has already been affected by floods in 2020 and 2023. This commune in the Alpes-Maritimes is still one of the villages affected by bad weather. As noted Nice morning, very heavy rainfall fell in this village on Monday June 24. Some 52 people stranded in this sector were evacuated to a hotel and a community hall in Saint-Martin-Vésubie, reports the regional daily. There are no casualties to report, according to firefighters.
Several structures were submerged and threatened, according to SDIS 06. On site, 9 engines and 15 firefighters were deployed to provide assistance. The operations continued until late at night, around 2 a.m.
“At the end of my rope”
“Significant rainfall is underway in the Alpes-Maritimes, particularly in the Vésubie valley, causing significant flooding. Bridges have been washed away, several homes evacuated. The authorities and emergency services are fully mobilized”Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin wrote Monday evening on X. “Support for the inhabitants of my village of Saint-Martin-Vésubie, once again affected by severe bad weather”, for his part published on X Eric Ciotti, deputy for Alpes-Maritimes.
“With the rain still falling and at night, we asked ourselves the question of waiting until Tuesday to carry out the evacuation. But we were too afraid that the weather would get worse”explained Monday evening around midnight at Nice morning Ivan Mottet, mayor of the town. “We are practically at the fourth destruction of the same bridges, because they are temporary structures and they are not strong enough”indicated on the microphone of BFMTV the deputy mayor, Thierry Ingigliardi. This one said to himself “at the end of my rope” : “Everything is being destroyed, we are experiencing the loss of roads once again.” The Boréon road is completely buried and residents are stuck in Haut-Boréon.
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The village of Saint-Martin-Vésubie had already been the victim of deadly floods during the passage of storm Alex in 2020. On October 2, 2020, a deluge fell on the hinterland of Nice and Menton, causing flash floods and devastating in the remote valleys of Vésubie, Roya and Tinée. The toll was heavy: ten deaths and eight disappearances. The town had also been impacted by the Aline depression in 2023.
