[Evaluation of the health inpact of the floods in the Gard on respiratory health of disaster victims].

In 2002 the Gard was subjected to exceptional flooding, as much by their size as by the number of affected community victims, more than the Nimes floods in October 1988. No community was spared and more than 800 families had to be rapidly re-located. As the medical bibliography of the impact of the floods on respiratory heath was not conclusive we have proposed to the CHU of Nimes a hospital clinical research project undertaken by the members of RNSA, the Institute of Public Health of Brussels and the European Centre for Medical Bioclimate Research and Teaching, who have accepted to share their knowledge with the Gard. It seems to us to be indispensable, considering the certifications made by the professionals on the health on the department, to validate the study methods for the evaluation of the health impact of the floods, with regard to the development of moulds in the environment, so as to recognise the risk to health, in the very special circumstances, and so allow the mobilisabion of useful resources more rapidly than previously. The new floods to which the department was subjected in December 2003 made us regret that we had not developed this project more quickly.