1.6 million inhabitants exposed to the risk of flooding in Occitanie

Friday 11th October 2024 12:41 AM

the essential
An INSEE note published this Thursday, October 10 shows that 27% of inhabitants were exposed to the risk of rivers overflowing in 2022, or 1.6 million inhabitants. Among this population, 10% are young children or the elderly.

While the damage caused by the Kirk storm which crossed France was being counted yesterday, INSEE published a note showing that 1.6 million inhabitants of Occitanie live in an area exposed to the risk of flooding by overflow. of watercourses.

“This exposure is particularly high around the Mediterranean. Among the 1.6 million people affected, 10% are young children or elderly people, therefore more vulnerable,” reveals INSEE (92,000 children under 6 years old and 68,000 people aged 85 or over).

If our region is exposed to several types of flooding (overflow of watercourses, marine submersion, runoff, etc.), the study focused only on the risk linked to the overflowing of watercourses in the three basins. regional hydrographic surveys: Adour-Garonne, Rhône-Mediterranean and Loire-Bretagne.

One million homes affected

The territories at risk extend over 15% of the surface area of Occitanie, but concerned 27% of its population in 2022, explains INSEE, which emphasizes that one million housing units are located in such a risk zone, or 29% of the regional stock. 49% of housing located in risk areas are apartments compared to 38% outside these areas.

Contours of the approximate envelope of potential flooding by overflowing rivers in Occitanie
INSEE

Total population and share of the population in risk areas by intermunicipality of Occitanie in 2022
INSEE

“A quarter of these apartments are located on the ground floor (129,000) and half of the houses (254,000) located in risk areas do not have a floor to take refuge in,” indicates the study which highlights that “those involved in the organization of first aid are themselves exposed”.

Nearly a third of economic activity is located in a risk zone (160,000 establishments). Finally, tourists may be concerned since half of the campsites are exposed to overflowing rivers, including 83% in the Pyrénées-Orientales, 75% in the Gard and 64% in the Hérault.

In a context of increasing natural disasters exacerbated by global warming, risk management is becoming a national priority. For the first time the title is also present in the government organization chart: Agnès Pannier-Runacher is thus Minister of Ecological Transition, Energy, Climate and Risk Prevention.