Five days after Storm Aline, the Departmental Council announced, on October 26, the release of “an exceptional aid” of 15 million euros for families, businesses, and municipalities affected, as well as for the reconstruction of the Vésubie valley.
Alex is not yet over, and they must tackle Aline… Since October 2020, 265 million euros have been committed to the reconstruction of the valleys by the Alpes-Maritimes department, from a budget of 315 million euros. Much less significant than its predecessor, which caused 18 deaths, Storm Aline remains nonetheless destructive. The events of October 26, 2023, are considered as the 4th major flood disaster in just 8 years.
This time, the damage is only material. No deaths, missing persons, or injuries are to be reported. The department takes pride in managing the crisis well, thanks to the decisions made by the prefect. As a reminder, schools were closed, the Departmental Operational Center was deployed before the episode, and significant resources were deployed on the ground.
The Temporary Structures Damaged
The department makes its assessment. In the Roya Valley, it proudly notes that no damage is to be noted on the structures and roads it reconstructed. No major damage is observed on all the protective hydraulic structures. The few restoration works in this sector are estimated, “with a margin for maneuver,” at 1.1 million euros.
On the side of the Tinée Valley, nothing to report. The RM 2205 was cut off due to a landslide, but access was restored the next day. However, in the Vésubie Valley, the situation is different. While no damage is noticed on the permanent structures, the department regrets that all the temporary structures have been damaged.
“We had alerted the metropolitan president last June, offering the department’s tools, whether administrative, technical, or financial. Being aware of the slowdown in the works and their temporary nature, this alerted us. This proposal was not acted upon,” laments Charles Ange Ginésy, president of Alpes-Maritimes.
Consequences: the northern districts of Saint-Martin Vésubie remain isolated today, and access to Haut Boréon is interrupted. As of October 25, 41 families from the municipality of Saint-Martin Vésubie have reported themselves and were able to be accommodated. Thanks to the work of social workers, they have notably been helped to relocate.
15 Million Euros Released
The Departmental Council decides to release an emergency fund of 15 million euros. 500,000 euros in aid are primarily intended for individuals. 500,000 euros are intended to help businesses whose activities were stopped or slowed due to a situation of isolation recognized by a natural disaster decree. This would mainly concern businesses in northern Saint-Martin because the road leading to them was swept away by the river.
It also proposes to assist the affected municipalities and intercommunalities with 6 million euros. Finally, the largest portion of the fund, 8 million euros, is allocated to Smiage. The Joint Syndicate for Floods, Development, and Water Management is the organization managing the Vésubie banks’ reconstruction.
The total estimated cost of the works amounts to 40 million euros as of today, with 31.1 million for the municipality of Saint-Martin Vésubie and 8.9 million euros for the municipality of Roquebilière.
Out of this total sum, the Departmental Council therefore proposes to aid in the reconstruction with 8 million euros. The remainder is to be covered by the State and the Métropole Nice Côte d’Azur. Charles Ange Ginésy and Éric Ciotti view this proposal as “a gesture of solidarity”, to “face the potential difficulties of the MNCA.” The community of communes, presided over by Christian Estrosi, is responsible for the banks’ reconstruction.
