The “exceptional emergency fund” for residents affected by the storms in Brittany and the Channel will be 50 million euros, the Minister of Ecological Transition Christophe Béchu announced on Friday. “It is a first envelope of 50 million euros of public money that I am able to announce to you this morning, with a particular focus on reforestation,” declared the minister on France Inter about this fund, of which the principle was announced on Thursday.
The day before, the minister had announced that he was working, at the request of the President of the Republic, on “the establishment of an emergency and solidarity fund which will provide exceptional support to those in Brittany who have been affected by Ciaran and Domingos storms. Unlike the municipalities in the Nord and Pas-de-Calais affected in recent days by floods and floods, Brittany and Normandy have not been recognized as being in a state of natural disaster.
“We have a natural disaster which is possible for Pas-de-Calais and not Brittany, hence this solidarity fund which will allow us to (…) keep the commitment made by the President of the Republic of “to be alongside the survivors of this storm,” explained Christophe Béchu. The minister also deplored that “for historical reasons, a storm cannot be a natural disaster in mainland France whereas a cyclone in the Overseas Territories can be”, and that “this will have to change”.
On Wednesday, the government announced that for farmers who suffered floods in Hauts-de-France but also in Brittany and Normandy, another fund, of 80 million euros, would be activated. “Brittany will benefit from the agricultural disaster recognition procedure and 80 million euros dedicated to the difficulties on the entire frontage will be paid in addition to the aid,” the minister said on Friday.