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Italian media report that seven people have died in the Piedmont and Liguria regions.
In France, eight people are missing in areas outside Nice after heavy flooding. Among them are two firefighters. It is not excluded that the number of disappeared may increase.
Buried in mud
Heavy rains and wind have caused flooding and landslides in border areas. Bridges, roads, and houses were razed to the ground and bodies of water. Many peoples are completely isolated from the outside world.
The interior of French Provence has also been hit hard by the storm.
Around 1,000 rescuers and the military are working in the areas to find survivors and help people trapped inside their homes. Food is distributed and drinking water is transported to isolated villages.
Woman watches storm damage in southeastern France
Photo: NICOLAS TUCAT / AFP
– What we are going through is completely out of the ordinary, says Bernard González, head of the Alpes-Maritimes region in France.
He said 600 millimeters of rain fell in 24 hours in the worst affected areas.
On Saturday, French Prime Minister Jean Castex inspected the helicopter for damage. He later said that the government activated its emergency plan for natural disasters.
Ask the state for help
In Italy, the storm is affecting regions that are already under heavy pressure from the corona pandemic. Piedmont and Liguria have lost hundreds of millions in tax revenue due to the pandemic. Now they ask the national authorities to intervene.
“If the state does not intervene, we will not overcome it,” Piedmont president Alberto Cirio told La Stampa newspaper.
The Cervo River crossed the banks and washed away buildings in the town of Biella in the Piedmont region of Italy.
Photo: AP
