Nearly 300 municipalities across western France are set to receive natural disaster status, as authorities point to the first clear signs of improvement following weeks of relentless rain and flooding.
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu confirmed on Tuesday that 294 municipalities have received the status, following a meeting of a dedicated government commission.
The hardest-hit areas include 63 municipalities in Lot-et-Garonne, 77 in Maine-et-Loire and 91 in Gironde.
A further 77 applications have been postponed to allow local authorities time to complete their submissions, with re-examinations scheduled for 3 and 10 March.
The official decree recognising the natural disaster status is due to be published imminently, paving the way for compensation.
The government, Lecornu said, remains “fully mobilised” alongside mayors and residents as recovery efforts gather pace.
Record flooding across France as storms fall on saturated ground
Water levels falling
After 40 consecutive days of rainfall – an exceptional stretch even by seasonal standards – conditions are beginning to stabilise. The flooding, which began around two weeks ago in Gironde and Lot-et-Garonne before spreading northwards, triggered maximum-level alerts across several departments.
According to the latest updates, red alert status remains in place in Charente-Maritime and Maine-et-Loire. Charente and Loire-Atlantique are on orange alert, while Sarthe has now been downgraded to yellow.
France’s Vigicrues monitoring service reports that the absence of significant rainfall until at least Thursday is helping rivers gradually recede. However, officials stress that the process will take time – and risks remain.
In areas still under orange or red alert, the threat of flooding is “very real”, particularly in communities located close to riverbanks.
Western France battles worst floods in decades after triple storm assault
Recovery efforts
On the ground, attention is increasingly turning to recovery and rebuilding. In the south-west, around 100 reinforcements – including firefighters, civil protection teams and soldiers – have been deployed in Lot-et-Garonne to help restore farms and infrastructure.
The department has now returned to green alert after 10 days at the highest level.
Neighbouring Gironde, which also endured a prolonged red alert due to the Garonne River overflowing, is receiving similar support. Military teams are assisting with repairs to greenhouses and other agricultural facilities, helping farmers get back on their feet.
Elsewhere, the situation is slowly improving. In Charente-Maritime, where floodwaters peaked overnight between Sunday and Monday, levels are expected to continue receding over the coming days.
The human impact has been significant, although no loss of life has been reported. Around 3,000 homes and 120 businesses have been affected in Charente-Maritime alone, with emergency services carrying out 600 evacuations since 17 February.
There are, however, visible signs of a return to normality. In the city of Angers, some 300km north of Paris, around 20 streets reopened on Monday, and local trams – previously suspended – were running again by Tuesday morning.
(with newswires)
