Huge rescue effort after deadly storm Alex barrels across France and Italy
- A storm that moved across southeastern France into northwestern Italy caused major flooding on both sides of the border
- Hundreds of rescue operations carried out as flooding swept away roads and damaged homes
Two people died in Italy and eight were missing in France on Saturday after storms, torrential rain and flash floods battered the border area, washing away roads and houses, cutting off whole villages and triggering landslips, as hundreds of rescuers raced to find stranded survivors.
Torrential rain of up to 50cm (20 inches) and high winds crashed into the border area in the latest of a string of strong storms in recent years.
Storm Alex barrelled into France’s west coast on Thursday bringing powerful winds and rain across the country before moving into Italy, where regions across the north suffered an onslaught throughout Saturday.
Two people died and 25 people were missing in France and Italy after a storm hit border regions of the two countries, bringing record rainfall in places and causing heavy flooding that swept away roads and damaged homes, authorities said on Saturday.
“I lost everything but we are alive,” said Jennyfer, 29, from Roquebilliere in France’s southern Alps.