80,000 residents exposed to risk, 60 municipalities in Loiret affected, including 13 located entirely in flood zones, nearly 2 billion euros in direct damage: the figures are chilling! However, they express a reality if our territory were to suffer a major flood of the Loire. Memory fails us because such an event has not occurred since 1907. But recent episodes elsewhere in France remind us that the risk exists and that it is essential to prepare for it to mitigate its effects.
Identify strengths and weaknesses
This is the objective of the “Loire flood” exercise organized all this week by the Loiret Prefecture. Prepared for a year according to a scenario unknown to the participants, it aims to put in situation all the actors concerned: communities, firefighters, police and gendarmerie services, civil security, Loire public establishment (manager of the dikes), for “identify our strengths and weaknesses so that we are ready in the event of a real flood », explains the Prefect, Sophie Brocas.
To the rhythm of the flood
Yesterday (Monday), 1is alert bulletin placed the upstream of the Loire on red alert, meaning that the Loiret would be affected by flooding in the coming days, Thursday in Gien and Friday in Orléans. Two strategic points will be particularly worked on during the exercise: the preparation of a massive evacuation of the population, and the management and monitoring of dikes in the event of flooding. This large-scale test operation will also make it possible to understand the consequences of network outages (electricity, telephone, Internet, gas) in neighboring departments and the management of road, rail and river traffic.
Responsiveness and lucidity in decisions
In Orléans, the municipal safeguard plan is activated, and municipal and metropolitan services mobilized within the PC-Crise to “play” the exercise in real conditions. “Faced with such a risk, I have one certaintyindicates Serge Grouard, mayor of Orléans and president of Orléans Métropole: we cannot do crisis management if we are not prepared or trained for it. This exercise, of exceptional size, will allow us to test the entire chain, from command to operations, as well as our responsiveness and our lucidity to make the right decisions.» On Wednesday, the reservists will also be on deck, to test the establishment of an emergency accommodation center within the La Source sports complex and welcome the evacuees.
