Severe flooding in southeastern France has left at least 4 people dead with 1 person still missing. Hundreds have evacuated their homes and emergency services have carried out over 2,000 interventions, many by helicopter.
Some areas of southeastern France recorded almost 400mm of rain between 21 and 24 November.
Several rivers including the Argens, burst their banks, flooding homes and prompting dozens of high water rescues and evacuations. Thousands of homes were left without electricity and road and train transport was severely disrupted.
France’s Ministry of Interior said that emergency services had carried out more then 2,300 interventions in Var and Alpes-Maritimes departments. The government of Var department said that 625 people had evacuated their homes and were staying in 14 emergency accommodation centres.
The government of Var department reported flood-related fatalities in the villages of Le Muy and Cabasse. One person is still reported missing in Saint-Antonin-du-Var. Local media reported that 2 people died after their vehicle was trapped in flood water near the town of Tanneron on 24 November.
The town of Roquebrune-sur-Argens in Var Department was particularly badly affected and only accessible by boat or helicopter. Levels of the Argens river in the town jumped from around 3 metres to 7.12 metres on 23 November, the second highest level on record behind the June 2010 record of 7.7 metres.
The Endre river at Le Muy reached record levels of 2.88 metres on 23 November, beating the previous high of 2.72 metres set in November 2011.
Social Media
Dans la zone Sud, nos sapeurs-pompiers et forces de Sécurité civile ont réalisé près de 2300 interventions et procédé à plus de 170 hélitreuillages.
Sans leur exceptionnelle mobilisation, le bilan aurait été plus lourd encore.
Nous leur en sommes profondément reconnaissants. pic.twitter.com/1sNTBlYr0u— Christophe Castaner (@CCastaner) November 24, 2019
#Intempéries dans les zones Sud et Sud-Est : à 8h, et depuis le début de l’épisode intense de #PluieInondation, plus de 2100 interventions réalisées par les forces de #secours et 165 hélitreuillages effectués. Ce matin, les opérations de pompage et de sécurisation se poursuivent. pic.twitter.com/tKtVoBPiRu
— Sécurité Civile Fr (@SecCivileFrance) November 24, 2019
Les #pompiers varois épaulés par les #renforts extra départementaux ont poursuivi leurs missions toute la journée : #reconnaissances, aide à la #population, #pompage.
Depuis hier matin près de 1000 #interventions réalisées, 550 mises en sécurité et sauvetages, 230 hélitreuillages pic.twitter.com/mAmpMAHG89— Sapeurs Pompiers VAR (@SDIS83) November 24, 2019
