France – Deadly Floods in Haute-Loire After 123mm of Rain in 1 Hour

by in Europe, News

One person has died and around 160 were evacuated after a major storm caused flooding in the Haute-Loire department of France from 13 to 14 June 2017.

Météo France said that some areas recorded as much rain in 1 hour as they would normally see in around 7 weeks.

Earlier today, Gérard Collomb of France’s Ministry of the Interior expressed his solidarity with those affected and commended the work of all the emergency services and authorities.

The body of a missing man was found in Le Brignon, Haute-Loire, this afternoon. It is thought the man was swept away in his vehicle last night while attempting to help others in difficulty.

Local authorities say that around 160 people in Haute-Loire had to evacuate their homes, some with assistance from emergency teams.

Météo France said that isolated storms brought highly localized intense rainfall from around 15:00 on 13 June. The communes of Landos, Costaros, Goudet and Le Brignon were badly affected from around 17:00. Severe hail was also reported in some areas.

The weather station of Landos-Charbon recorded significant rainfall totals, with 226 mm of rain falling during the storm. As much as 123 mm fell in just one hour (between 20:00 and 21:00). According to Météo France, this is equivalent to 48 days of rain.

Rivers also rose rapidly in the upper basin of the Loire, particularly at Chadrac, which rose by almost 6 metres during the storm, and also at Goudet, which increased by around 3 metres.

Loire River at Chadrac, France, 13 to 14 June 2017. Image: Vigicrues France
Loire River at Goudet France, 13 to 14 June 2017. Image: Vigicrues France

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