Three dead after storms hit south

Three German tourists were killed canyoning in the Verdon Gorge in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence in floods that have affected much of southern France.

A sudden storm caused the water level to rise rapidly, causing a 3m wave to sweep down the gorge.

Seven other members of the party were washed away and found further downstream.

In the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, more than 400 homeowners were evacuated at Mourenx after the river Luzoué broke its banks. Across the department more than 1,000 households had no electricity. At Féas near Orlon several houses were evacuated after a mud slide that “literally split the village down the middle,” according to a spokesman for the commune.

In the Hautes Pyrénées the prefecture announced that heavy rainfall had flooded the caves at Lourdes and that an electricity pylon had collapsed after floodwater caused a landslide.

For detailed weather information department by department see click here.

Photo: AFP