The scale, violence, and duration of this exceptional weather event confronted rescue services with floods affecting over 30 communes in the department. Lieutenant-Colonel Nicolas Faure, deputy director of programming and technical support for Pompiers13, described the event as exceptional, 36 hours after the heavy rainfall began.
The storms led to cut-off roads, suspended transport, and flooded homes. By mid-morning the day after the rains started, Pompiers13 had already carried out approximately 200 interventions, including rescues and safety operations for individuals, as well as pumping operations due to floods and rising waters. Additional specialized resources, representing nearly 112 Pompiers13 personnel on top of the usual 500 on duty, were deployed, including five multi-purpose flood groups (GPI) and two flood rescue groups (GSI).
In Saint-Mitre-les-Remparts, a search operation involving the helicopter Dragon 131 was conducted. Unfortunately, one person was found deceased in Istres mid-morning, swept away by the waters, according to a statement from the prefecture of Bouches-du-Rhône. Two other victims, women aged 86 and 26, were found drowned in a cellar in Lançon-Provence. An investigation has been opened by the public prosecutor's office of Aix-en-Provence.
Franck Briend, deputy departmental director of Pompiers13, emphasized the need for collective action and citizen vigilance for a return to normalcy, estimating that several days, or even weeks, would be necessary. Rescuers prioritized the safety of nearly 1,000 people and are now assisting with the receding waters using pumps.
Nearly a week after the storms began, on Monday, October 26, over 1,200 rescues and safety operations had been carried out during 3,300 interventions. Paul Marquis, forecaster for La Météo du 13 and an expert with Pompiers13, stated that towns like Port-de-Bouc (370 mm), Martigues (340 mm), and Saint-Martin-de-Crau experienced unprecedented rainfall.
