Fresh rainstorms to hit the Var

RESIDENTS in the Var are being warned about severe rainstorms today as storms continue to lash the departement, particularly in the south.

In Hérault, which was hit by huge rainfall last night, weather forecasters are predicting further flooding of the banks of the river Lez.

Météo France said that the water levels at the upper end of the Lez were the highest ever recorded.

Last night pompiers in the communes of Grabels and Juvignac in the northern part of Hérault were called out more than 100 times to take local people to safety and performed 32 helicopter evacuations. At least 300 had to find shelter in school gyms. Schools there are closed today.

Meanwhile cars were swept down the streets of Montpellier as the waters in the river Lez rose to even higher levels than they had last week. Météo France said that the city had been inundated with the equivalent of more than half of its average annual rainfall in several hours.

Lattes, to the south of Montpellier, was drenched with the equivalent of its average annual rainfall during several hours, said France Info. The commune had seen a rapid rise of the river Lez, but levels were controlled and lowered locally, using a river spillway.

Météo France has declared an orange flood alert for Gard, Var and Hérault until tomorrow morning and is expecting up to 120mm of rain to fall in Gard and the Var this morning.

Time lapse film by Edouard Calemard shows cars being swept down a flooded street in Montpellier

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