Tourist killed in campsite storm

A DUTCH tourist has been killed in a storm at a campsite in the Isère, after a tree fell on her tent.

The 36-year-old woman was on holiday with family at Les Trois Lacs du Soleil camp, in Trept, when the storm hit on Wednesday night.

She was sharing the tent with her two-year-old son, who was airlifted to hospital in Lyon in a serious condition. Five other people were injured and taken to hospital.

Some 300 other campers were put up in temporary accommodation for the night and offered help by the mairie, pompiers and Red Cross.

Elsewhere, a violent hail storm damaged power lines in Annecy and cut off the electricity supply to 9,000 homes on Wednesday. There were also power cuts reported in the Cantal and Haute-Loire.

Today, six departments in central France are on storm alert: the Ain, Ardèche, Drôme, Isère, Loire and Rhône. This afternoon will be the worst period, with fierce winds, rain and possible hail.

Heavy rain is forecast for much of the country today, but the weather should start to improve throughout Saturday.