Weather: historic rains and floods, still 18 departments on alert but none in red

The Cévennes episode is over and is giving way to a lull this Friday, October 18, even if showers are expected and orange alerts remain active in 18 departments. The storms of exceptional intensity, never seen before in some places, have caused a lot of damage.

• Météo France has lifted the latest red alerts activated for rain-flooding or floods in its 6 a.m. bulletin this Friday, October 18. But 18 departments still remain on orange alert in the southern half of the country.
• The Cévennes episode that affected the center-east and southeast of the country ended this Friday according to Météo France, but it gave exceptional accumulations of rainfall. "The observed accumulations reach 600 to 700 mm in 48 hours" especially in the Ard&eacutechois region. A few showers are still possible, without being comparable to those observed yesterday.
• Bad weather led to the death of a 49-year-old man in Pari late Thursday. The individual was hit by a falling tree and succumbed to his injuries. His two children, aged 3 and 5, who were with him at the time, were taken care of in relative emergency.
• If the most violent storms have passed and the water levels have started to recede in places, the situation is such that schools and daycare centers will remain closed in Ardèche this Friday. On the side transport, in addition to the roads blocked by water, train traffic is likely to remain disrupted in Occitanie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes or Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.

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08:07 – The equivalent of 50% of annual rainfall fell in 48 hours in Ardèche

The Ardèche is one of the departments most affected by bad weather and the damage caused by it. “This is nearly 50% of what falls this year” that hit the Cévennes and the Annonay basin, said the prefect of the department, Sophie Elizéon on Franceinfo. "There are flooded towns, and even a certain number of villages that are cut into several parts and that are not connected", she specified on. "We have never experienced a disaster of such magnitude", added Olivier Amrane, the president of the departmental council of Ardèche. The floods have started to recede this Friday after a rather calm night, but they could be long. In fact, schools and daycare centers remain closed in the department this Friday. 

07:59 – More than 1000 emergency services interventions during the bad weather

The violent storms, whether torrential rain or major floods, have caused a lot of damage in several regions of France. Thus, more than 1,000 rescue operations have taken place according to a press release published Thursday by the Ministry of the Interior, including “25 rescues of people”. To meet the needs, 1,500 firefighters have been deployed supported by five civil security helicopters. “Nearly 900 people were also able to be brought to safety” the press release also adds. 

07:51 – “The Cévennes episode is over" : alerts downgraded in 15 departments

“The Cévennes episode is over” stated Météo France this Friday morning. But showers are still expected in several regions, without however being comparable to the precipitations of the last 48 hours. “A disturbance extends from the southwest to Hauts-de-France", they could be “stormy and sometimes sustained" in Franche-Comté in Burgundy and in the north of Occitanie.

A sign that the Cévennes episode is over: 15 departments have already seen their alert level downgraded to yellow alert. This is the case in Var, Alpes-Maritimes, Ardèche, Haute-Vienne, Corrèze, Aveyron, Eure-et-Loir, Loir-et-Cher, Indre and all the departments of Ile-de-France.

The Cévennes episode seems to be over. Météo France has lifted the red alerts for rain-flooding and flooding that persisted in the Loire, Haute-Loire, Lozère and Rhône in its 6 a.m. weather report this Friday. 18 departments, however, remain on orange alert for rain, flooding and flooding.

The rain-flood alerts concern the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, the Hautes-Pyrénées, the Dordogne, the Tarn, the Ariège, the Haute-Garonne, the Lot-et-Garonne, the Tarn-et-Garonne, the Gers and the Lot. As for the flood warnings, they concern the Alpes-Maritimes, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône, Gard, Loire, Haute-Loire, Puy-de-Dôme, Pyrénées-Atlantiques and Landes.

10/17/24 – 11:52 p.m. – After the South-East, the South-West ?

END OF LIVE – Beyond the Pyrenees, Météo-France is forecasting rain and thunderstorms in the rest of the South-West tonight and until Friday morning. However, the weather service warns that these rains “will become particularly long-lasting in the evening and the following night”, from Friday to Saturday. What to expect in concrete terms ? Cumulative amounts of 50 to 90 mm of rain are expected throughout this episode, “with possible peaks of around 100 mm between Lot and Tarn”, specifies Météo-France.

10/17/24 – 11:36 p.m. – No return to calm before midday on Friday in the Pyrenees ?

Still in its bulletin, Météo-France focuses on the situation in the Pyrénées. Whether in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques or the Hautes-Pyrénées, the precipitation will persist in the coming hours and end up  “giving very significant accumulations of rain, locally exceeding 100 mm since the start of the éepisode". The Basque mountains should be particularly affected. What about a return to calm in the surrounding area ? An “attenuation” is expected “on Friday morning near the Pyrenees”, indicates the meteorological service.

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10/17/24 – 11:07 p.m. – Concern in the Var and the Alpes-Maritimes, the peak activity expected tonight

After the spectacular images of the floods this Thursday, Météo-France notes in its latest bulletin that the rainstorm episode “is picking up again in intensity this Thursday evening” and warns that “the peak of activity is expected in the coming hours” in these two departments. “Another 60 to 80 mm in a short time, or even 100 mm locally on the relief” could thus fall. This new episode occurs at a time when heavy rain has already fallen and the ground is already saturated with water. Météo-France therefore anticipates widespread flooding. The lull should occur “late Thursday night to Friday”.

10/17/24 – 10:51 PM – More than 1,000 interventions and 25 rescues

In its press release, the Ministry of the Interior indicated early in the evening that more than 1,000 emergency services had already taken place on Thursday, October 17. No fewer than 25 rescues had also been carried out and nearly 900 people had been éevacuated. 

In its final bulletin of the day, Météo-France indicates that the Hautes-Pyrénées, which were initially due to switch to yellow alert at midnight, will ultimately remain on orange rain-flood alert until at least 6 a.m. Friday morning.

10/17/24 – 10:03 p.m. – The Montparnasse district submerged

A week after the passage of storm Kirk, rain has once again hit the capital. The Montparnasse district was particularly affected. Thus, around the famous tower, scooters and cars struggled to avancer en fin d'après-midi/début de soirée sur des routes totalement inondées. 

17/10/24 – 21:48 – "C'est près de 50% de ce qui tombe à “the year”: the prefect of Ardèche takes stock of the situation in Annonay

On Franceinfo's microphone on Thursday evening, the prefect of Ardèche, Sophie Elizéon, reported that “150 to 200 mm” of rain had fallen in recent hours in the Annonay basin. And to note: “That's almost 50% of what falls in the year!” The prefect also gave an update on the human toll: “At this stage, three people have been taken to Annonay hospital with minor injuries and have left without any problems.”

10/17/24- 9:33 p.m. – Crossed by the Rhone, Avignon prepares for flooding

In a press release, the Vaucluse prefecture indicates that “a flood of the Cévennes rivers is still ongoing” and that “by propagation downstream, a progressive increase in flow rates has been observed on the Rhone since last night, the peak of which is expected around 9 p.m. in the north of Vaucluse, and around 1 a.m. in Avignon”. In general, the prefecture warns residents that “the risks of flooding are particularly high in Avignon and the north of the department, in particular in Lapalud, Mondragon, Lamotte-du-Rhône and Caderousse”. These municipalities have already triggered their municipal safeguard plan.

10/17/24- 9:08 p.m. – Rail traffic interrupted for several days between Lyon and Saint-Étienne

The official SNCF account in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes reported a situation that looks set to be complicated in the coming days on the TER line that connects Lyon to Saint-Étienne. "Rail traffic will not be able to resume for several days", SNCF clearly stated, specifying that safety checks will be necessary on the installations. But this will only be possible once the water level has subsided. The situation is therefore beyond the control of the railway company. It is not yet known whether buses will be put in place in the coming days to replace the trains, as many roads have also been flooded.

17/10/24 – 8:47 p.m. – "This weather episode is likely to intensify in the hours & agrave; “coming”, declared Michel Barnier

The Prime Minister reacted Thursday evening on X to the violent storms currently hitting France. “This evening, my thoughts are with the people seriously affected by the floods and heavy rains in the south-east of our country,” said he first declared, before warning: “This meteorological episode risks becoming ; intensify in the coming hours. I call on everyone to exercise the greatest caution.” Michel Barnier also assured that “the state services are fully mobilized to come to the aid of ;to those who need it, alongside the “elected”.

In its latest bulletin, M& ;étéo-France indicates that the department of Hérault is no longer placed on orange alert this Thursday evening. However, 33 departments remain on orange alert for rain-flooding, floods and storms. Six are still on red alert for rain-flooding and flooding. 

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