As intense storms lashed the region since Monday, three lives were tragically lost due to the rapid onset of flooding. Authorities found the bodies of an elderly couple who were swept away by the overwhelming water surge in Le Lavandou, while a third victim lost their life trapped in a vehicle in Vidauban, as stated by local officials on Tuesday.
The unprecedented downpour has resulted in widespread destruction throughout the area, leading to major street flooding and widespread power and water outages. Rail services were also disrupted, with at least two regional trains halting their journeys due to damaged tracks.
The couple, who attempted to evacuate their home, were caught off guard by the swift rise in water levels, according to the Toulon public prosecutor. An investigation into their deaths is currently underway. "We are in shock at the scale of the natural disaster that struck the Cavalière district this morning," remarked local officials in Le Lavandou, revealing that the town was deluged with 256mm of rain in just one hour. This coastal area, located about 30km (18 miles) east of St Tropez, is known for its tourist attractions. Local mayor Gil Bernardi characterized the conditions as a "truly violent, nasty, incomprehensible phenomenon," depicting scenes of "roads torn up" and "bridges broken apart."
By Tuesday, Le Lavandou continued to experience electricity and water outages, with the main access road to the town still submerged. In Vidauban, the mayor, Claude Pianetti, reported that one person died when a car drove onto a flooded road, falling into a ditch. A bystander attempted to rescue the vehicle's occupants, successfully saving the driver but regrettably not the passenger.
Emergency services in the Var region received over 500 calls for help within a 24-hour period, and hundreds of rescuers were dispatched from nearby cities, including Cannes. Although Var was initially issued with severe weather warnings for further thunderstorms and flooding, these alerts were later downgraded. More than 600 homes remain without power as authorities assess the extent of the damage. Meanwhile, heavy rain and hailstorms also affected parts of south-west France on Monday night, causing cancellations along the Bordeaux-Toulouse railway line that may persist for several days.
The unprecedented downpour has resulted in widespread destruction throughout the area, leading to major street flooding and widespread power and water outages. Rail services were also disrupted, with at least two regional trains halting their journeys due to damaged tracks.
The couple, who attempted to evacuate their home, were caught off guard by the swift rise in water levels, according to the Toulon public prosecutor. An investigation into their deaths is currently underway. "We are in shock at the scale of the natural disaster that struck the Cavalière district this morning," remarked local officials in Le Lavandou, revealing that the town was deluged with 256mm of rain in just one hour. This coastal area, located about 30km (18 miles) east of St Tropez, is known for its tourist attractions. Local mayor Gil Bernardi characterized the conditions as a "truly violent, nasty, incomprehensible phenomenon," depicting scenes of "roads torn up" and "bridges broken apart."
By Tuesday, Le Lavandou continued to experience electricity and water outages, with the main access road to the town still submerged. In Vidauban, the mayor, Claude Pianetti, reported that one person died when a car drove onto a flooded road, falling into a ditch. A bystander attempted to rescue the vehicle's occupants, successfully saving the driver but regrettably not the passenger.
Emergency services in the Var region received over 500 calls for help within a 24-hour period, and hundreds of rescuers were dispatched from nearby cities, including Cannes. Although Var was initially issued with severe weather warnings for further thunderstorms and flooding, these alerts were later downgraded. More than 600 homes remain without power as authorities assess the extent of the damage. Meanwhile, heavy rain and hailstorms also affected parts of south-west France on Monday night, causing cancellations along the Bordeaux-Toulouse railway line that may persist for several days.
