Heavy rains caused the river OUCHE to flood and raised the groundwater level. An oil terminal was partially flooded by water that rose up from rainwater network and the discharge pipes of the final clarifier. The detention basin filled up completely and overflowed. The pit of a manifold was flooded and the electrical cabinets at the loading bay were threatened. Tanker-truck loading operations were stopped and the site secured (electrical devices turned off, sump pumps turned on). The terminal operator called in the firefighters.

This episode of heavy rain was designated a natural disaster by the authorities. Although the manifold pit was protected from surface water, it became flooded with groundwater. The grouting of the electrical conduits was found to be defective. The terminal operator inspected the conduits and regrouted them where necessary. One electrical installation was flooded despite being placed at a height; it was subsequently moved higher up. Because the dirty-water pump was not powerful enough to prevent other electrical installations in the basement being flooded, the terminal operator installed a high-flow petrol water pump. It also replaced the pit’s manual sump pump by an auto-start pump with a higher flow rate. Several hydrocarbon detectors were also damaged by the flooding.