Les Sables d’Olonne (France) (AFP) – Nearly five years after the death of 29 people drowned in the flooding of their subdivision Blame-sur-Mer (Vendée) the passage of the storm
Xynthia, the trial of the night horror of February 28, 2010 opened Monday in Les Sables d’Olonne.
The trial, expected to last five weeks, began shortly after 2:20 p.m. at the convention center of Sables d’Olonne, chosen to accommodate the public and more than 140 accredited journalists in a room with big screens where about 180 people, including victims and families were present.
The first day of the hearing was devoted mainly to procedural matters and a summary of the dossier in front of plaintiffs and defendants silent and attentive.
The 120 plaintiffs hope to understand the for the trial why houses were built on land located in a flood zone where residents were trapped at night when the water overwhelmed the levees small resort.
For families, the trial will revive painful moments.
“It will certainly be terrible,” said he arrived at the hearing Gisele Arnault, who lost his father 74 years in the disaster and its own home. “Why were not we warned? Why in a town like Blame-sur-Mer there were 29 deaths, including my father? Would have been enough for one person being evacuated” asks Ms. Arnault.
When he arrived, the former mayor, in a gray suit, assured that his thoughts were “especially the victims.” “Pain and suffering are included in the depths of myself. I did my job as mayor,” said Mr. Marratier reporters.
In addition to Mr. Marratier Mayor 1989 to March 2014 and still alderman continued Françoise Babin, his former assistant town planning and ownership of land and houses in subdivisions swallowed his son Philippe Babin, realtor and president of the association which was maintained the submerged dams and Patrick Maslin, manager of construction companies and municipal councilor
-. Five years in prison –
The four defendants are charged with “aggravated manslaughter” and ” endangering the lives of others by manifestly deliberate breach of a statutory obligation of safety or prudence. ” The two companies are also Mr. Maslin continued as corporations.
Alain Jacobsoone, at the time deputy departmental director Territory and Sea, himself is charged with “manslaughter aggravated “for failing to alert the mayor about the dangers of the storm promised.
They all risk up to five years in prison and 75,000 euros fine. The trial will last until 17 October, before the judgment expected on 12 December.
The victims “have had horrendous times. Justice must pass,” said his lawyer arrived civil parties, Corinne Lepage.
“The grounds were affordable for middle class people. was sold us a dream, we thought safe. was not once thought about marine submersion, “notes Thierry Berlemont released” in extremis “with his wife and two daughters of the house where they lived for 12 years. The building was flooded with 2.20 m of water.
Antonin Levy, counsel for Mr. Marratier, argued that the mayor of a small town was not equipped to implement all construction standards and safety. “It’s asking a specialist elected to be more specialists who are themselves deceived,” said Mr. Levy.
A total of 29 people, aged 2-88 years, drowned in Blame-sur-mer, mostly elderly people enjoying their retirement in this small town stuck on a spit of land between the Atlantic Ocean and the estuary of the Lay, a small coastal river.
In France, the storm made a total of 47 deaths and very serious material damage: for insurers, the cost is estimated at € 1.5 billion
.
No comments:
Post a Comment