Belgium/Chaudfontaine: the "trailers" operation helped the victims to evacuate their waste
In Chaudfontaine, the municipality organized on Thursday, a "trailer" day for the victims. More than a year after the floods, many inhabitants are still in their renovation works.
And not all of them had the possibility to evacuate their rubble and other waste. The municipality had called on volunteers with a trailer to help. Manuella Catot is in charge of the "flooding" cell in Chaudfontaine: "the operation was born from an observation. We went around to all our affected households to ask them how to help them. Many of them told us that they still had a lot of waste to remove. Some did come forward to help the municipal services and students involved in the "summer of solidarity" operation.
A lot of help
On the banks of the Vesdre river, Nicodème has just started the renovation of his house alone. Volunteers are collecting all the rubble from the demolition of the false ceiling. "It helps a lot because we really need it here. It's been complicated to make arrangements with the insurance company. We demolished it and that's one less thing we have to think about on top of what we still have to do. It's really a big help."
We figured we'd need more help
Volunteers, Richard and his son Arnaud came with their big trailer from the Charleroi area. They heard a call for volunteers on the radio. "We had one day off and we came. We didn't come the months that followed because there was a huge surge of generosity and we thought it would fall back and we would need help again. And here we are!" Both volunteers are particularly moved by what they saw. "In one house we went to, there were pictures in the window and the mom passed away in the house and the picture was there."
Anthony and Charlotte hope to open their wine bar in March 2023
Anthony, who lives in the neighborhood, just bought a completely blighted café. Volunteers are evacuating the screed that was damaged in the floods. " With my partner, we would like to open a wine bar, a bistro to share as soon as possible to revitalize this wonderful community. " In Chaudfontaine, the operation has helped to evacuate the waste of about twenty disaster victims.
Source: www.rtbf.be
