Young Reporters > THE FLOOD OF THE RIVER SEINE

THE FLOOD OF THE RIVER SEINE

"THE MEASURES TAKEN BY THE TOWN HALL"

Which are the actions installed by the Parisain authorities in order to avoid a big flood? Thanks in particular to installations carried out upstream (stoppings tanks) and to floods of the roadways in Paris, of the flood which formerly flooded the neighbouring banks and streets are today controlled and disappeared. But an unbelievable flood already occurred, wich Paris knew in 1910. The effects on the everyday life of Parisian are then obviously considerable. If the same climatic conditions were to reproduce, no technical installation could dam up it.

I. Measures of prevention for Paris

Seeing the pessimistic forecasts of the scientists, the Town hall of Paris takes its precautions today: a plan of prevention of the risks of flood (PPRI), valid for the whole of the department of Paris, finally was born on October 17, 2006, after several attempts. For the Council of Paris, this document is not sufficient. It still allows 20% constructions in the easily flooded zones, limitation which goes to be abolished in the sectors known as "strategic for the economic and social development", however located in zones at limited constructibility. Priority with the monuments Many establishments were however put under high monitoring. It is the case of Louvre, the national gallery of the Play of Palm, the museum of the Orangery, the hotel of Sully, the Notre-Dame museum of Paris, the National School of Beautiful Arts, the museum of Orsay or of the museum of the Quay Branly.

One also tooks care to move the underground reserves of the museum of Orsay and Louvre. Finally, some openings of the RER C were sealed and of the boats flat-bottomed have to convey ,in the event of need ,the civils' servant essential to the correct operation of the city. Without forgetting the storage dams built upstream of Paris in the Seventies and Eighties.The whole to avoid the worrying reality according to which if the scenario of 1910 reproduced, only a quarter of water would be the subject of a retention… causing between 4,5 and 12 billions euros of damage at the city:
- it is 7 to 8 times more than in 1910.

II. A plan was created to coordinate the actions of the authorities and to preview the helps in the event of major flood.

Six axes of work constitute the reinforcement of this plan:
- to count the major risks related to the flood,
- to optimize the diffusion of alarm and the advertisement of the floods,
- to provide clear, shared information and commune with the whole of the actors and the population,
- to determine measurements to limit the effects of the flood,
- to organize the management of the crisis,
- to organize the conditions of return to the normaly.

To conclude, nobody has to take a life buoy tomorrow. The risk for the people is easily controllable. But it would be carefree to regard any flood as a big scenario. Prevention is better than cure… the flood of 1910, and water 8m62 reached on the level of the bridge of Austerlitz.