Bordeaux’s mayor, Pierre Hurmic, activated the city’s emergency response plan Wednesday as the Garonne River continues to rise, threatening flooding in two districts. The activation marks the first time the plan has been implemented due to flood concerns since record-breaking storms in December 1999.
The rising waters are attributed to a combination of continued rainfall and high tides, with the confluence of the Garonne and Dordogne rivers, at the entrance to the Gironde estuary, placed under red alert for flooding by Vigicrues, France’s flood forecasting service. Vigicrues indicates that the river level could potentially surpass the 7.05-meter peak reached during the 1999 storms, caused by Lothar, and Martin.
As a precautionary measure, markets and events along the riverbank have been canceled. Nurseries and recreation centers in vulnerable areas have been closed, along with municipal parks and gardens. The city, France’s ninth largest with a population of 265,000, is bracing for potentially significant disruption.
Mayor Hurmic, a member of Europe Ecology – The Greens (EELV), has opened a shelter for individuals experiencing homelessness who regularly reside along the Garonne’s banks. Two gymnasiums have as well been prepared to accommodate residents potentially affected by the flooding. Hurmic described the situation as an “exceptional climatic phenomenon, undoubtedly due to climate change,” according to reports.
Pierre Hurmic has served as Mayor of Bordeaux since 2020, having been continuously elected to the municipal council since 1995, according to available information. He defeated incumbent Nicolas Florian in the 2020 mayoral election.
Vigicrues continues to monitor the situation, and further updates are expected as the tide reaches its peak Thursday morning.
