Minister visits flood-affected region

Mathieu Lefèvre, the minister for Ecological Transition, is traveling to the Bouches-du-Rhône region in southeastern France on Friday, October 23, to show support for people affected by severe flooding and to meet with local officials. The minister’s visit comes as torrential rains and major flooding continue to impact the area during a new weather event linked to the Mediterranean.

Visit includes multiple locations

During the day, Lefèvre will visit several towns, including Salon-de-Provence, Grans, Saint-Martin-de-Crau—where a crisis room and rescue operations center are located—and Arles, specifically the Moulès hamlet. These locations are key points in the ongoing response to the flooding and will allow the minister to assess the situation on the ground.

Minister to update on emergency efforts

Lefèvre will provide an update on the situation at the command center and meet with people who have been evacuated due to the floods. He will also address the mobilization of emergency services and engage in discussions with mayors of the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis during a roundtable at the town hall in Grans.

Other ministers have already arrived

Lefèvre is the third minister to visit the area since Monday. Laurent Nuñez arrived on Monday evening and Gérald Darmanin visited on Wednesday, both in response to urban violence that occurred over the previous weekend. This shows that the region has been the focus of multiple government visits in recent days.

Transport and climate challenges

Rail traffic between Arles and Marseille is significantly disrupted and is expected to remain so for some time. Officials note that the Provencal climate is changing rapidly, and they emphasize that "we can no longer do as before," highlighting the need for new approaches to managing weather-related challenges.