South-east is on orange storm alert

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METEO France is on orange alert (“be very vigilant because dangerous weather is expected”) in the south-east.

The alert level has been in place since yesterday afternoon in the Alpes-Maritimes, Var and Bouches-du-Rhône, coming a few hours after the Gard and Hérault were also placed under alert.

This comes after violent rain caused floods yesterday in several parts of France, with Finistère the first affected, in the morning.

In certain areas of Brittany twice the usual rainfall for October fell in a six-hour period, the most for 50 years. Firefighters had to intervene to help people whose cellars and basements were flooded.

Towns especially affected included Brest, Audierne, Crozeon and Plozevet.

Heavy, stormy rains, possibly accompanied by hail, are expected to continue this morning in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, though the alert has been lifted in the Gard and Hérault.