Church members in Trèbes cope with flood months after terrorist attack

The Aude river has been bursting its banks onto the surrounding towns in Southern France, causing at least 13 deaths. 

Carcassone Baptist Church, who we spoke to at the time of the attack, got in touch to say that their church had been affected and that a member of their congregation has lost 2 patients in the flood. 

Pastor Hichim who runs the church and his wife Elizabeth quickly evacuated with their six children for the night. 

Elizabeth told Premier: “Our church was unfortunately flooded too and it’s quite sad because it’s a brand new building that a lot of people have spent time and money and effort renovating in the last few years so that was really sad, to see it in a mess.” She added that although it was only a few centre metres, it has damaged the floor in the creche and the main room. 

“After we were evacuated that was the first place we drove to because my husband wanted to check if there was any damage and we did see water pouring down out the drive, which wasn’t a good sign, and then when we got inside there was just water everywhere and mud.”

She said they planned to still meet this Sunday because of the help they had received: “A team of people have been there cleaning up for the last couple of days, they’ve managed to push a lot of water out of the building”

“We don’t know anyone personally who was killed. Although, one of our church members…