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PHOTOS: Rivers flood French towns and giant hailstones over weekend
Hundreds of homes had to be evacuated in the west. We include videos of the flooding
Several areas of France saw rivers burst their banks and flood through towns over the Easter weekend with storms and heavy rain sweeping across the south-west and east. Hundreds of homes had to be evacuated.
Many departments still face warnings over river levels, particularly in the south-west and east.
Read more: River flood alerts in south-west and east France then 30C highs on way
The Arroux and Armançon rivers in the east of France remain at the highest possible risk level for flooding today (April 2).
The videos below posted on social media show the impact of flooding from these rivers.
🌊 En Côte-d'Or, l'Armançon subit une crue importante et inonde plusieurs quartiers de Semur-en-Auxois ce lundi ! (© Romain Becasseau) pic.twitter.com/0cZXx4Tz6n
— Météo Express (@MeteoExpress) April 1, 2024
🌊 Images de la crue de l'Arroux depuis Étang-sur-Arroux en Saône-et-Loire ce matin. Le niveau est monté 36 cm au dessus de la crue de 1982 ! (© Valérie Mina) pic.twitter.com/5cnLRDI8tZ
— Météo Express (@MeteoExpress) April 2, 2024
Crue de l'Arroux en Saône et Loire où il a beaucoup plu et il continue de pleuvoir ce lundi.
— Meteo60 (@meteo60) April 1, 2024
Vidéo Pascal Léger pic.twitter.com/cnZlKyvhBd
Bravo et merci à Mr le @Prefet71 et @SDIS71. La présence de la cellule de crise des pompiers et les moyens déployés à Toulon-sur-arroux sont une assurance pour les citoyens locaux qui malheureusement "baignent" depuis hier... pic.twitter.com/N9HpvPjnIi
— paysanheureux (@paysanheureux1) April 2, 2024
Un lac ? Ou l’Armançon ? Incroyable image de Manuel Gomes ! Entre Nuits et Ravières dans l’Yonne. pic.twitter.com/MhfAXIVEGB
— Kevin Alves (@kevinalves73100) April 1, 2024
🔴🌊 L’onde de crue de l’#Armançon a atteint les environs de Cry-sur-Armançon ce lundi en fin d’après-midi. Un plateau semble en cours à environ 2m90, soit 45 cm de plus que la crue exceptionnelle de mai 2013 ! De nombreuses routes sont coupées. Photos Météo89. #crues #Yonne pic.twitter.com/5xQ9LPQkwE
— Météo89 (@meteo_89) April 1, 2024
Other rivers in the east flooded, including the Ouche, close to Dijon.
Débordement de l'Ouche a Fleurey sur Ouche pic.twitter.com/t5RtRXiG6f
— David 21 (@bordet_david) April 1, 2024
In the west, departments including the Dordogne, Indre-et-Loire, and Gironde are also facing heightened flooding alerts.
The Vienne river flooded a number of villages over the weekend.
🌊 Les crues se poursuivent au centre-ouest ce dimanche. La Vienne continue de monter, comme ici à Châtellerault. La Creuse, quant à elle, est toujours en vigilance rouge. (© David Simon) pic.twitter.com/n1clcT9VwP
— Météo Express (@MeteoExpress) March 31, 2024
Les images des inondations suite aux crues dans les départements de la Vienne et de l'Indre-et-Loire ce week-end pic.twitter.com/7Ss3ZniQbH
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) March 31, 2024
Hundreds were evacuated from their homes in the Vienne and Indre-et-Loire departments.
This included in the villages of Loché-sur-Indrois and Nouans-les-Fontaines.
Read more: What to do (and not do) during heavy rain and flood alerts in France
April hailstones
It was not only flooding that departments faced over the weekend but also hailstones.
In the Drôme (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes), hail up to 5cm in diameter fell during the most intense part of Monday’s storms.
Les images des inondations suite aux crues dans les départements de la Vienne et de l'Indre-et-Loire ce week-end pic.twitter.com/7Ss3ZniQbH
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) March 31, 2024
Hail also fell in Lyon and as far north as the Marne.
Orage 🌩 de grêle à #Lyon pic.twitter.com/FsmjrQeThk
— Pierre Lyonsuper (@Lyonsuper) April 1, 2024
⛈️ Un orage de grêle a touché l'ouest du département de la Marne en cette fin de journée. Images depuis Reuil. (© Jérôme Houry) pic.twitter.com/Zr0EsuZEyB
— Météo Express (@MeteoExpress) March 31, 2024
Storms are forecast in Brittany today, however the rest of France should face a few days of calmer weather.
In the areas currently facing floods, skies should be clear of rain, except for brief overnight showers in the east.
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What action is advised with different Météo France weather warnings