Torrential Rain, Storms Batter Western Europe
(MENAFN) Western Europe remained under siege from severe weather on Thursday, as torrential rain and storm conditions triggered landslides and widespread flood warnings in both France and Spain, authorities said.
In France, officials upheld an orange-level alert—the second-highest on the scale—for intense rainfall and flooding across five northeastern departments, according to media.
The alert, issued by Meteo-France, covers Vosges, Haut-Rhin, Territoire-de-Belfort, Haute-Saône, and Doubs, and is expected to stay in effect until 4 p.m. local time (1800 GMT). While thunderstorms have subsided, sustained rainfall is forecast to persist until midday before tracking east toward Switzerland by evening.
Surrounding areas, including Côte-d’Or and Haute-Marne, may also experience significant downpours, meteorologists warned.
Heavy rain deluged northeastern France and Centre-Val de Loire on Wednesday, dumping 40 to 60 millimeters of water across much of the region. Some areas saw even higher totals—Vosges and Haut-Rhin reached up to 80 millimeters, while Bégnécourt in Vosges recorded 89 millimeters. Auberive, located in Haute-Marne, logged 72 millimeters.
The downpour forced a partial closure of the A11 motorway between Paris and Nantes late Wednesday, after flooding near Chartres made a section impassable.
By late Thursday, total rainfall accumulations could rise to between 70 and 90 millimeters in affected regions, Meteo-France projected.
Elsewhere, tragedy struck in Haute-Savoie when a landslide hit the RN 205 road near Chamonix on Wednesday evening, killing two people and injuring two more.
Authorities confirmed the victims were “a couple born in 2002,” seated in the back of the vehicle at the time of the slide. The 54-year-old driver sustained serious injuries and was transported to Annecy Hospital. His wife, who was riding in the front passenger seat, suffered minor injuries and was taken to Sallanches Hospital.
Meanwhile, in Spain, authorities issued new orange and yellow storm alerts as severe weather conditions threatened additional flash flooding and disruption.
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