Devastation

At midnight last Wednesday a river burst its banks sending a tidal wave through the town of Lamalou les Bains. It swept aside everything in its path and took the lives of four people. Motorhomes on the municipal campsite were swept into the river - people in their beds.

This awful event was declared a natural disaster and the rescue services came in their hundreds. I say 'came', but they are still there five days later. It still looks apocalyptic despite endless lorries ferrying mud, branches, trees, twisted metal and myriad forms of detritus.

What makes it even worse is that Lamalou is a spa town, full of medical experts trying to help people who come from all over France in search of 'the cure'.

I stood in the supermarket queue overhearing the miserable conversations of seriously depressed locals who could do nothing but talk of the catastrophe. 'I haven't the heart to buy flowers' said one. 'I don't feel like doing anything' said another.

I see that it's just started raining again. This won't be good news for the people trying to clear vast seas of mud from people's gardens, garages, basements and businesses.

My heart goes out to them.