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At least three people have died after severe flooding and storms hit the south of France.
An elderly couple were killed yesterday after the floods swept through the seaside town of Le Lavandou, which sits along the south eastern coast of France.
Their car was swept away by the floodwaters and the woman’s body was found trapped inside the wreckage, France24 reported.
A man also died in the town of Vidauban, around 18 miles north of Le Lavandou, after getting stuck in his car.
Police are investigating their causes of death but prosecutor Samuel Finielzsaid the situation is ‘quite difficult on the ground’.
Mayor of Le Lavandou, Gil Bernandi, said the aftermath of the flooding were similar to ‘scenes of war’, with ‘bridges torn down’ and ‘roads torn up’.
He said during a press conference: ‘The roads, the bridges, the paving stones, there is no more electricity, water, or wastewater treatment plant. The shock is significant because the phenomenon is truly violent and incomprehensible.
‘As we speak, an entire part of the commune is inaccessible.’
The Var region of southeastern France has been placed under an orange alert for rain, flooding and thunderstorms by Meteo-France, the country’s national weather service.
Pictures from the area show cars submerged in floodwater, people running to safety and homes flooded out.
Yellow flood alerts have also been issued for northern parts of France for today and tomorrow.
This map shows where flooding took place in France yesterday (Picture: Metro)
This is where flood and thunderstorm yellow alerts are in place for France today and tomorrow (Picture: Metro)
French citizens were seen crossing roads without their shoes and socks and clutching onto their belongings earlier today (Picture: AFP via Getty Images)
The town’s mayor, Claude Pianetti, wrote on Facebook: ‘After a few hours of intense rain on our municipality, we regret to mourn the death of a person drowned in his vehicle.
‘A female driver and her passenger got engaged on a country road completely submerged and fell into the ditch.
‘A witness who was otherwise elected as a municipal, helped the two people who could only save the female driver.
The scenes in the south east of France like in Le Lavandou have been described as ‘incomprehensible (Picture: Reuters)
Roads have been left covered in mud after flooding in Le Lavandou (Picture: AFP via Getty Images)
‘Firefighters, PM, police officers and their divers are still on site to extract the vehicle from the stream. We extend our sincere condolences to the victim’s family and relatives.’
Heavy rain also forced a TGV train service from Toulouse to Paris to become dislodged.
More than 500 passengers were evacuated by bus after the train was forced to stop on the tracks overnight near Tonneins.
The rescue operation involved involved dozens of firefighters, police and volunteers.
Mayor of Tonneins, Dante Rinaudo, told AFP: ‘We narrowly avoided a disaster, the tracks were exposed and the TGV was suspended.’
Flooding has caused the partial collapse of some buildings like in Le Lavandou (Picture: Reuters)
Public transport services like buses were also left submerged in Le Lavandou (Picture: Reuters)
He said that the storms should be recognised by the government as a natural disaster.
Another train also travelling between Toulouse and Paris got stranded in Agen.
State rail operator SNCF said trains would be suspended for ‘at least several days’ between Agen and Marmande.
It confirmed services between Bordeaux and Toulouse would also be affected.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
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