Bad weather: roads cut, villages overturned… time for cleaning and assessing the damage in the Hautes-Pyrénées

Les dégâts sont considérables, leur montant n'a pas été estimé. MAXPPP – BASTIEN ARBERET

The Aspe Valley was particularly affected by a violent storm during the night from Friday to Saturday. 

It was time for a major clean-up and damage assessment on Sunday for the inhabitants of the villages of the Aspe Valley (Pyrénées-Atlantiques) affected by violent floods during the night from Friday to Saturday.

The main trace of the torrential rains that fell: the RN134 leading to the Somport tunnel (on the border with Spain) remains closed in both directions of traffic, for more than fifty meters south of Urdos, following a collapse of the roadway. "Analyses will be carried out in the coming days to assess the duration of the repairs", which could last "six months minimum", and their cost, according to the prefecture.

"An apocalyptic catastrophe"

In the small villages of Cette-Eygun and Urdos, badly affected by the flooding of the Gave d'Aspe, residents were cleaning with large amounts of water, sorting through items to be thrown away or washing furniture and dishes for others. In Etsaut, the village square was still buried under a mound of stones as well as two cars under the rocks.

“We experienced an apocalyptic catastrophe, with 200 to 230 mm of rain falling in one night. In the memory of old people, we have never seen such floods,” said Ophélie Escot, mayor of Cette-Eygun. “About fifteen houses along the national road were affected and the residents lost everything, their belongings, their cars. The population is in shock and we need human and financial support", assures the councilor who has requested "psychological support to manage the backlash", which will soon be offered to the victims.