Severe flooding in southern France leaves one dead, one missing

PARIS, Oct 20 (OPA) — A 75-year-old individual was found dead in Istres, Bouches-du-Rhône, on Tuesday after being swept away by floodwaters in the commune of Saint-Mitre-les-Remparts. Rescue teams are currently searching for a second person missing in Ghisonaccia, Haute-Corse, after a 4x4 vehicle was carried away by the Fium'orbu river. A passenger from the same vehicle managed to escape through a window.

Météo-France reported extreme rainfall totals, noting nearly 400 millimetres of precipitation north of Solenzara since the storm began. The agency recorded 191 millimetres of rain in a single hour at the local airport. Local authorities in Istres, located 50 kilometres west of Marseille, evacuated residents to a municipal sports hall as water levels rose throughout the department.

Infrastructure across the region sustained significant damage, with the A9 motorway near Nîmes closing for several hours on Tuesday morning. While traffic conditions in Nîmes began to stabilize by midday, rail services remained disrupted. In Marseille, authorities partially closed motorway slip roads and suspended tram operations to manage the impact of the rising water.

The storm, identified as a cold low-pressure system named Adam, moved across the region after causing flooding in Spain, where at least four deaths have been confirmed. Emergency services in Hérault, including the town of Lunel, continue to manage displaced residents as the weather system begins to ease.