Storm Chaos: Flash Floods Batter South-east France

Communities crossed south-east France are today, September 22, dealing pinch nan aftermath of a nighttime of torrential storms and flash floods that near cars submerged, homes without powerfulness and sporting events cancelled.

A nighttime of record-breaking rainfall

The storms deed connected nan evening of September 21, unleashing immoderate of nan heaviest rainfall nan region has seen successful years. Roads successful Toulon, Avignon and crossed nan Var section were turned into rivers wrong minutes arsenic h2o levels roseate rapidly.

In Avignon, a staggering 127mm of rainfall fell, astir of it successful conscionable 3 hours. In Castellet, rainfall reached 136mm, nan highest ever recorded for nan town. The strength shocked moreover seasoned locals – 70mm came down successful conscionable half an hr successful Toulon, while Sanary-sur-Mer saw 30mm successful hardly 10 minutes.

The sheer unit of nan rainfall brought overmuch of nan carrier web to a standstill. Toulon’s main railway position was forced to unopen conscionable earlier 11pm, while nan city’s passageway was besides closed aft being overwhelmed by floodwater.

Power cuts, diversions and cancelled matches

At nan tallness of nan storm, 60,000 homes mislaid power, and while engineers worked done nan night, astir 3,300 households successful nan Var were still successful nan acheronian this morning.

Air travel was besides thrown into disarray. Flights owed to onshore successful Marseille were diverted arsenic acold arsenic Lyon, pinch passengers facing agelong delays.

Sporting events didn’t flight either. The much-anticipated Marseille vs PSG shot derby was postponed, arsenic was nan Toulon vs La Rochelle rugby match, aft nan rugby stadium was near nether water.

Despite nan melodramatic scenes, authorities confirmed that nary fatalities person been reported. Firefighters, however, had 1 of their busiest nights successful months, carrying retired hundreds of interventions and rescue operations. In immoderate towns, precautionary evacuations were ordered arsenic rivers swelled adjacent to breaking point.

Warnings sounded and skies now clearing

As nan rainfall poured down, residents received emergency alerts connected their phones via nan FR-Alert system, urging them to debar recreation and enactment indoors. In Marseille, streets including nan engaged Avenue des Olives were near impassable, while villages further westbound successful nan Gard section besides knowledgeable flooding.

By this morning, nan worst of nan large wind had passed. The region faces a cloudy but barren time up connected September 22, giving communities a much-needed chance to commencement clearing debris and assessing nan damage.

For many, though, past nighttime will beryllium remembered arsenic a stark reminder of conscionable really quickly life tin beryllium turned upside down erstwhile nan upwind turns violent.

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