Macron urges swift action as record floods shut schools, force evacuations in Pas‑de-Calais

According to the "Le Figaro" newspaper, President Macron has urged a swifter response to handle the flood-hit Pas-de-Calais region. The report cited that the President conferred with Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne and Minister for Ecological Change, Christophe Béchu, on Sunday.

The President reportedly emphasized the severity of current weather conditions and the forthcoming winter. "He asked for even more expedited action to aid the affected, the most vulnerable, and the homeless," the source from "Le Figaro" added.

As reported by local authorities, sixteen schools in Pas-de-Calais remained shut on Monday, the start of the new school term after the Christmas break. The Lys Plaine and Canche rivers in the Pas-de-Calais region are currently under an orange flood warning. In contrast, the water levels of the Aa river, which hit a red alert level last week, have receded to yellow. The improvement in weather since Sunday has helped lower the levels of this river, according to a bulletin from Vigicrues.

It's crucial to note that areas where large amounts of water have pooled "will most likely have to wait until mid-next week to witness any significant improvements" due to the receding water levels. In the Pas-de-Calais region of France, the floods adversely impacted 195 municipalities and over 2,000 homes. Resulting from the disaster, over 740 people were necessitated to evacuate, as per local authority reports.