Severe flooding sows panic in France with animals washed away and villagers forced to travel by boat

Severe flooding has caused panic in the streets of France: animals are being washed away, roads are submerged in muddy waters and villagers are forced to travel by boat.

Yesterday, the country was grappling with its worst flooding in 40 years, following heavy rains on Thursday.

Shocking images posted on social media show the streets of Bayonne completely flooded after torrential rain caused the nearby Adour River to overflow.

Elsewhere in central France, the Grangent Dam could be seen attempting to control a colossal flow of water – which, at one point, exceeded more than 2 million liters of water, according to Météo Express.

Heavy flooding has hit parts of France, causing power outages and severe damage in some mountainous regions of the southeast, AFP reports.

Severe flooding has caused panic in the streets of France: animals are being washed away and roads are being submerged in muddy water.

Yesterday, the country was grappling with its worst flooding in 40 years following heavy rains on Thursday (Photo: Limony October 17, 2024)

Aerial view of houses partially submerged by floodwaters in the town of Limony, central France

Grangent Dam could be seen attempting to control a colossal flow of water – one point of which exceeded more than 2 million liters of water.

The streets of Bayonne were completely flooded yesterday after torrential rain caused the nearby Adour River to overflow.

Vehicles were blocked today by rising waters on the A47 motorway

No deaths or injuries have been reported and the extent of the damage caused by the floodwaters is not yet clear.

The French meteorological authority, Météo France, issued six red flood alerts south of Lyon on Thursday.

The alerts were then downgraded to “orange” on Friday, indicating that water levels would fall again.

“In certain places in Ardèche, up to 700 millimeters of water fell in 48 hours.

“This represents more than a year of precipitation in Paris, so it is absolutely gigantic,” Agnès Pannier-Runacher, the Minister of the Environment, told BFM TV.

French news channels showed cars, road signs and livestock swept away by the torrential floods.

The A47 motorway near Lyon temporarily transformed into a gigantic river as heavy downpours took over.

We see a Mini Cooper swept away by floodwaters

The flooding comes a week after the remnants of Hurricane Kirk battered Western Europe.

The image shows cars submerged in a commercial area on October 16, 2024 in Givors, east-central France, following heavy rains in the region, which is under red alert for rain and flooding.

Videos show people knee-deep in water and struggling against currents.

Partially submerged cars parked in the parking lot of a shopping center in Givors photographed Thursday following flooding

A rescue team navigates floodwaters in Givors, France, on Thursday

A pedestrian looks near a flooded street following heavy rain in Annonay, central France, October 17.

A firefighter wades through floodwaters in front of a partially submerged car parked in a commercial area on October 17 in Givors.

A photo shows a flooded area following heavy rain in Annonay, central France, on Thursday.

Water is flooding streets in southern France as authorities said they had to close roads and evacuate neighborhoods.

The French Interior Ministry said Paris had dispatched 1,500 additional firefighters to affected areas.

Harrowing footage also showed people struggling to cross the powerful currents with water up to their knees.

The flooding in southern France comes a week after the remnants of Hurricane Kirk battered western Europe and almost a month after Cannes was hit by flash floods.

In early September, Central Europe was hit by the region’s worst floods in at least two decades.

In recent days, French authorities have closed roads, evacuated neighborhoods and asked residents to avoid putting themselves in danger by taking photos and videos.

It comes as French departments were placed on red flood alert amid “exceptional rain” which the French weather agency said reached up to 24.8 inches in 48 hours in one area.

A local resident looks on as a flooded street follows heavy rain in Annonay, central France, on Thursday.

This photograph taken on Thursday shows cars partially submerged in a commercial area in Givors

The departments of France are administrative regions similar to British or American counties.

Areas covered by the red alert include Lyon, the country’s third largest city, as well as Cannes, famous for its film festival.

Authorities said they closed roads, evacuated neighborhoods and asked residents to avoid putting themselves in danger by taking photos and videos.

No deaths or injuries have been reported and the extent of the damage caused by the floodwaters is not yet clear.

It comes after bouts of wild weather hit Europe over the summer, with parts of Spain, France and Switzerland hit by freak summer storms and flash floods.