NINETEEN people were killed and at least 12 remained missing last night after torrential rain caused flash floods near France’s Mediterranean coast.
More than 30cm of rain fell on the Var department in southern France on Tuesday, with gushing muddy water leaving cars overturned and opening deep craters on village streets.
More than 1,000 people found refuge in schools and other buildings after their homes were swamped. Helicopters flew more than 450 rescue missions and some 100,000 households were without electricity. Television pictures showed scores of stranded people packed on the raised terrace of one holiday camp, with surrounding land and low-lying buildings submerged.
“We haven’t seen anything like this in a decade,” said Hugues Parant, the top official for the Var department.
President Nicolas Sarkozy issued a statement expressing condolences for the victims’ families and support for rescue teams who were “mobilising non-stop to provide aid and find those still missing”. During a visit to the affected area yesterday, interior minister Brice Hortefeux described it as an “unprecedented disaster” for the region.
The head of the emergency operation, Corinne Orzechowski, said more than 30cm of rain had fallen since Tuesday, causing water levels to rise to alarming levels in the streets of Draguignan, a town of some 40,000 residents where eight of the deaths were reported.
“This morning, we woke up to find a city that was devastated, extremely battered with overturned cars floating in the streets, collapsed roads and gutted houses,” said Ms Orzechowski.
“It was dramatic,” said Draguignan mayor Max Piselli. “The town is in a terrible state, with rocks, stones, mud and cars blocking the roads.”
Water levels were said to be falling slightly in Draguignan yesterday, though the rain was continuing in nearby Roquebrune and Fréjus. Toulon airport, closed late on Tuesday due to flooding, reopened yesterday morning. Train services were expected to return to normal today.