Severe Storms Cause Flood Crisis in France
The 53-year-old disappeared late Tuesday in Maine-et-Loire after a small boat overturned, according to reports. Emergency responders launched a search operation shortly after the incident was reported.
"We are deploying the necessary resources, but objectively, there is very little chance of finding this person,” the department’s prefect said.
France’s national meteorological agency, Météo-France, has issued red-level flood warnings for Charente-Maritime, Gironde, Lot-et-Garonne, and Maine-et-Loire as rivers continue to swell under persistent rainfall.
Speaking during a visit to Saintes in Charente-Maritime, the minister delegate responsible for ecological transition underscored the gravity of the unfolding situation.
"It is an episode of exceptional magnitude in terms of its intensity. We have been under flood alert for 33 days," Mathieu Lefevre, minister delegate in charge of Ecological Transition, told BFMTV during a visit to the commune of Saintes in Charente-Maritime.
The extended spell of storms has also disrupted infrastructure. As of early Friday, around 20,000 residents across the country were still without power, according to officials.
In Saintes alone, flooding has affected at least 2,000 homes, with water breaching residential properties across the town.
Météo-France characterized the ongoing weather pattern as “unprecedented,” noting that somewhere in France it has rained every day for the past 36 consecutive days — a streak that has significantly heightened flood risks nationwide.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
