Floods caused by record rains in mountainous areas of France and Italy have killed two people and left at least 24 missing in both countries.
A hurricane that destroyed bridges all night due to flooding on both sides of the border to southeastern France and then to northern Italy, blocking roads and isolating communities.
A firefighter was killed during a rescue operation in the northern region of Italy’s L’Osta region. A body was found near floodwaters in the province of Versailles late Friday night.
Sixteen people were reported missing in Italy, according to civil security officials, all but those traveling in cars on the Cole de Tende mountain pass between France and Italy.
It includes two adults in Germany, their 11-year-old and six-year-old grandchildren and a pair of brothers returning from France.
A spokesman for Italy’s fire department said the search for the missing shepherd, who was pulled into floodwaters on the Cole de Tende, was ongoing.
A spokesman, Luca Cari, said he suspected the phone contact of others missing in Italy had been lost, and that they were not currently considered in imminent danger.
Kerry said the situation on the mountain range was complicated by the fact that France’s emergency response could not enter the side of their tunnel due to flood damage. The Italian fire brigade was searching the French side for people whose route may have been blocked.
In the northern Piedmont region of Italy, overnight rainfall has not reached post-1958 levels. According to the Italian Civil Protection Agency, 630 mm (24.8in) of rain fell in a period of 24 hours.
Hundreds of rescue operations were underway. Eleven campers were rescued in the province of Versailles, where floodwaters reached a 20-year high. Alpine rescue teams reached out to help seven people in flood-ravaged homes in Terme di Valdiari.
In south-eastern France, the mountainous area around the nice city received an average of about a year’s rainfall in less than 12 hours.
Local firefighters said at least eight people, including two firefighters, were missing when the road collapsed during the rescue operation.
Nice Mayor Christian Astrosi expressed his “feeling and sympathy” for the families. He said more than 100 homes were destroyed or severely damaged. Firefighters said dozens of people were evacuated from their homes overnight.
The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, expressed his gratitude to the rescuers. “We’ll go through this together,” he said.
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