METEO France has issued a storm warning for 11 departments in the centre and south of France, with Lyon forecast its heaviest rainfall in 10 years.

The alert is in place until 7.00 on Wednesday morning and covers the Languedoc, southern Auvergne and western parts of Paca and the Rhône-Alpes.

The departments currently on alert are the Ardèche, Bouches-du-Rhône, Drôme, Gard, Isère, Hérault, Loire, Haute-Loire, Lozère, Rhône and Vaucluse.

Météo France said up to 25cm of rain is expected today in the Ardèche and 10cm around Montpellier, Nîmes, Saint-Etienne and Lyon.

It said this level of rainfall around Lyon "is only seen once every 10 years".

No school buses are running today in the Gard. Schools are running a minimum level of service, but parents have been urged to stay at home with their children if at all possible.

Météo France says drivers should try to avoid small country roads as some localised flooding is likely.