Dharma: Flooding in Lourdes Sanctuary causes great damage

A new flood occurred in the French town of Lourdes forcing 450 pilgrims to evacuate and shut down some shrines. Large-scale cleanup has been carried out here on October 21.

Flood water formed from many days of unremitting rain in the area has now begun to withdraw. But many major places of worship are still closed. Firefighters had to pump water out of a sacred cave and basement of many hotels.

Sacred cave - where Christians believe Virgin Mary appeared before peasant girl Bernadette Soubirous in 1858, still flooded on Sunday. Fragments of broken wood, candles and twigs floated on the water.

An estimated six million pilgrims visit Lourdes each year, attracted by the spring waters. Devotees believe that sacred spring water can heal and even have miracles.

Thierry Castillo, the custodian of religious works here, told AFP: "In the past there was a flood in the area, but this flood caused the greatest damage in the last 30 years."

The flood has caused damage to religious buildings, which have suffered a deficit of one million Euro (1.3 million USD) in the budget of 30 million USD, because the donation has been less.

Pope Benedict XVI even mentioned the flood in Sunday's special speech at the Vatican, when he named the seven new saints: "Let's turn our head to the Virgin Mary, and spend some time thoughts for Lourdes, victims of flash floods that submerged the cave where Madonna appeared ".

France's national weather forecast agency on Sunday removed "orange alarms" about the ongoing rain, which they had previously issued in the area. However, the "orange warning" about the flood remains the same.

Several areas of the town were still engulfed in water on Saturday, when the Gave de Pau river broke. Many buses have been mobilized to transport guests from a number of hotels located in low-lying towns to a conference center and a sports center on Saturday. Two campsites were also evacuated and several roads at Lourdes were closed.

Floodwaters are now about a meter high in front of the entrance to the sacred cave and rise about 80cm at Avenue du Paradis - home to many pilgrim hotels. On Sunday, the water was withdrawn from the streets, leaving dirt 10cm thick in many places.

The area of ​​the Sacred Cave is submerged in flood waters. (Source: AP)

Souvenir shops began reopening on Sunday. Some shop owners have even complained that the way to cope with the flood has affected their business.

"There was an outrageous panic associated with a very small event. We saw something worse than this, as in 1982" - Lise Aldaz, who owns a souvenir shop said - "Fortunately, this happened only at the end of the holiday season. But it is also sad for those who come here, especially foreign tourists."

But Jean-Marie Attard, leader of the regional hotel owners association, praised the evacuation activity: "We have experienced a very dramatic situation. Everyone is safe and they are We can see this as a miracle ".