The remains of five victims of the devastating floods of October 2 near Nice were returned to the families after their formal identification, said Wednesday October 14 Nice, bringing to 13 the provisional toll of those missing in the disaster, compared to 9 previously.
The water took away “Nearly 400 graves […] which considerably complicates the task of investigators ”, underlined the public prosecutor Xavier Bonhomme, inviting to the « prudence » concerning the provisional assessment of seven bodies found, including five attributed with certainty to bad weather and 13 missing.
In this count, a body was found in Monaco and quickly handed over to the French authorities.
“The balance sheet is not frozen”
Among the identified victims is also a 49-year-old firefighter swept away by the waters and to whom an official tribute must be paid Wednesday afternoon in the presence of the prefect.
Seven bodies were also found in Italy without certainty on the cause or place of death.
“In the balance sheet, we can certainly add everything, but while being extremely careful. Research is continuing, the results are not frozen ”, he insisted.
“We must be aware that we are in the presence of a totally extraordinary event”, underlined the prosecutor during a press point with the gendarmerie.
“48 hours ahead of us”
The prosecutor referred to the impressive material damage suffered by the two most affected valleys, Vésubie and Roya, but above all to the unprecedented character, according to him, in France of the destruction of two cemeteries, total in Saint-Martin-Vésubie and partial in Saint-Dalmas-de-Tende.
“According to the information we have gathered, this is the first time”, said Mr. Bonhomme.
Or, “Medical examiners tell us that in general after four or five days in the water it is very difficult if not impossible to determine if it is a storm-related body or […] from one of the two cemeteries ”, he added.
“It is empirical and to be taken with precaution but […] we may have 48 hours ahead of us, and more… ”, added Colonel Nicolas Thiburce, head of division at the Criminal Research Institute of the National Gendarmerie (IRCGN) whose team is working on the identification of bodies.
Finally questioned whether complaints had been filed, for example, for buildings in areas deemed to be flooded, Mr. Bonhomme assured: “For now, I am in a hurry to do everything to find possible victims. If I am seized in the days or weeks that come with complaints about such or such dysfunction, I will do my job ”.
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