Bad weather: orange vigilance in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques and the Landes, update on the situation – South West

For several days, heavy rains have been spraying the region. Météo France confirmed this Friday at 10 a.m. the maintenance of 11 departments in orange vigilance, whether for flooding or the risk of snow, ice and avalanches. In the South-West, Pyrénées-Atlantiques and Landes are concerned. Here is the point in the departments of the region.

In the Pyrénées-Atlantiques

The rise in water levels is increasing on Friday December 10 in the Basque Country and in Béarn. Since Thursday 3 p.m., 160 emergency interventions have already been identified and 70 are still underway at 9 a.m. 1,600 households are deprived of electricity, including 1,100 in the Basque Country and 400 in Béarn, following the fall of trees on the power lines. 18 schools (elementary and primary) are closed in the department, as well as the colleges of Pontacq and Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry.

The prefecture of Pyrénées-Atlantiques expects more significant floods in the morning. The rivers of the Nive, the Nivelle, the Saison, the Bec de Gave, the Gave de Pau and the Gave d’Oloron are always placed in orange vigilance. Several municipalities in the department are subject to increased vigilance: Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle, Cambo, Ustaritz, Urt and Hasparren in the Basque Country, and Pontacq and Laruns in Béarn. “The peak is expected in the middle of the day,” indicates the prefecture, which has activated a departmental operational center (COD) since Thursday, 3 pm.

In total, throughout the department, nine rescues of people were carried out by the emergency services and 20 people were evacuated from their homes. Seven of them have been relocated by their families. The various interventions mobilized at this stage 150 firefighters from the Departmental Fire and Rescue Service (Sdis). 150 Enedis technicians are also at work, as well as around sixty staff from the departmental gendarmerie.

In Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle, the Nivelle had already overflowed Thursday evening and Saint-Pée ​​woke up with her feet in the water this Friday morning. In particular, it was necessary to rescue a motorist stuck in his car with water up to the wheel, or an elderly person stranded in his home.

In Saint-Martin-d’Arrosa, five people also got stuck in the middle of the road in a truck and a car, on the D918 towards Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. Extracted by firefighters, they are unharmed.

In Ascain, a recognition is underway about six stranded people, including two elderly people, stranded in two homes.

Same thing in Gelos where rising water threatens four houses currently.

In Pontacq, it took two people aged 89 and 90 to safety on the second floor of their house.

In Itxassou, the flow of hill already noted yesterday, had led to the evacuation of several houses of the district of the station. For the time being, on the railway line which links Bayonne to Lower Navarre, rail traffic is still interrupted. On the road side still, school transport passing through Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle will be suspended.

In Biriatou, a landslide led to the evacuation of 20 people, housed in a building with six apartments, and two houses. They have all been relocated, by the town hall or their families.

In Bayonne, this Friday morning, the flood alert is maximum with the rise of the Nive and the Adour. The town hall makes evacuate the vehicles which are parked near the two rivers. The vigicrue alert is red from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

In Oloron, preventive actions have been implemented since Thursday evening: closure of the underground car park of the media library and the power plant (at the confluence of the two gaves of Aspe and Ossau) and residents located in sensitive areas of small courtyards. water were warned. The municipal safeguard plan was activated Thursday at the end of the day, in connection with the Orsec-Flood plan triggered by the prefecture of Pyrénées-Atlantiques. Friday, December 10 in the morning, the swollen and muddy waters of the Gave d’Aspe carried tree trunks which struck against the piles of the bridges.

Schools and roads closed in the 64

In Pontacq, the college and the school are closed this Friday morning.

In Hendaye, Bidassoa reached its alert threshold at 6 a.m. this Friday morning, and the Joncaux school was closed.

The road to Biriatou was closed between the A63 exit and Hendaye / Béhobie, Friday December 10, at 10 a.m.

In the Landes

The Landes department has also been on alert for flooding since Thursday. This Friday, 25 roads were cut due to midday flooding.

In the Lot-et-Garonne

The collapse of an embankment caused the fall of a poplar on the D 656, this Friday, December 10 in the morning, near Montagnac-sur-Auvignon. Two female drivers were slightly injured.