Météo-France has placed Meurthe-et-Moselle on red alert for flooding, joining Moselle where the situation is showing signs of improvement. On the afternoon of Saturday 18 May, Meurthe-et-Moselle was placed on red alert for flooding by Météo-France, as was the neighbouring département of Moselle. The situation there is improving after heavy rainfall the previous day, which caused flooding

Vigicrues reports that the heavy rain has caused the Vezouze, a river that rises in the Vosges and flows into the Meurthe, to react, resulting in ‘exceptional flooding’ in the Lunéville area.

The water level is continuing to rise this Saturday and could reach the same heights as during the 2006 floods, reaching 3.38 metres on Saturday night, compared with 0.77 metres on Friday, according to the organisation. ‘The flood wave is expected to arrive at the end of the day, rising slowly,’ the Meurthe-et-Moselle prefecture told AFP.

In Moselle, the situation is ‘improving’ despite the flooding of the river Nied, which is keeping the department on red alert. Although the rain has stopped and no alert is in place, ‘136 fire brigade interventions’ were still underway on Saturday, according to a statement from the prefecture. No casualties or injuries were reported.

Vigicrues reports that the exceptional rainfall has caused rivers in the Nieds basin to rise rapidly, posing a ‘direct and widespread threat to the safety of people and property’. The situation remains delicate in Hombourg-Haut and the Nieds valley, with a landslide in Bousseviller and particular attention being paid to the Saltzbronn dyke.

‘We’re on a plateau, the flooding has stabilised, and we’re hoping that it will subside. But we remain vigilant, and everyone is mobilised,’ said Armel Chabane, the mayor of Bouzonville, through which the Nied flows. At present, no major damage has been reported, but some areas remain inaccessible.

In Bouzonville, an electricity transformer is under water, leaving several streets without power. In Moselle, heavy rainfall dumped the equivalent of a month’s rain in less than 24 hours, according to the prefecture on Friday evening.

More than 1,000 fire-fighters and 642 pieces of equipment were mobilised to deal with the emergency, according to the government. Other rivers, such as the Moder, Sarre and Zorn, are also under orange flood alert. ‘The general trend is for the water to recede,’ said the Bas-Rhin prefecture, while urging residents to stay away from rivers.

In Moselle, Béatrice ‘lost everything’ in the floods, managing only to save her bag and her dog. In view of the impact of the floods on homes and businesses, particularly in Diemeringen, the prefect will be requesting recognition of a natural disaster for this municipality.