Prime Minister Raffarin visits floods scene
(10 Sep 2002) 1. Wide shot of French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin and French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy preparing to visit areas affected by the flooding 2. Mid shot of Raffarin and Sarkozy walking side by side 3. Wide shot of Raffarin shaking hands with fireman in fire truck 4. Wide shot of Raffarin talking to flood victims 5. Sarkozy meeting people affected by flooding 6. Raffarin talking to people affected by flooding 7. SOUNDBITE: (French) Jean-Pierre Raffarin, Prime Minister of France: "It is first of all emotional and an expression of national solidarity. What has happened here concerns all our compatriots. I am thinking first of all of the victims and of their families. I'm thinking of all those affected, and I want to tell them that the state, along with local authorities, is mobilized. We have already mobilised ten million Euros and we will be working together with local land groups." 8. Raffarin and Sarkozy walking STORYLINE: Torrential rains that battered south-eastern France over the weekend have killed at least 20 people, according to authorities on Tuesday. On Wednesday, rescuers are still searching for at least 12 other people reported missing. Meantime, Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin and Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy surveyed the storm-battered area by helicopter and visited flood victims at shelters and in streets. Speaking in Villevielle, near the medieval town of Sommieres, Raffarin said he hoped his visit would convey "an expression of national solidarity" to flood victims. He said the government has pledged 10 (m) million euros (9,744,500 US dollars) in state aid for the region. Numerous rivers in the Gard, Vaucluse and Herault regions overflowed their banks and dikes burst as torrential rains began pounding the area on Sunday. Waves of water flushed the streets of villages, leaving them submerged. The rain let up on Tuesday. Train service remain suspended across parts of southern France and many roads remain closed, still under water or badly damaged. Electricity is slowly being restored, but tens of thousands of homes are still without power. The European Union's (EU) head office in Brussels said flood victims in France could be eligible to benefit from a proposed 500 (m) million euro (492 million US dollars) EU disaster fund. EU governments have yet to approve the fund, which was set up after this summer's devastating floods in central Europe. Foreign ministers from EU governments were expected to give their consent to setting up the fund at a meeting September 30. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
