Man missing as storms lash south of France
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Rescue crews were on Saturday searching for an elderly man who went missing near floodwaters in the south of France, where bad weather has forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes.
Firefighters are scouring waterways near the town of Saint-Antonin-du-Var, in the department of Var, near where the 77-year-old man was last seen. Reports say he was visibly disoriented.
A dozen departments around the Mediterranean and the Rhone Valley were put on orange alert as thunderstorms, heavy rain and strong winds continue to lash the region. Authorities are warning of increased risk of floods and falling trees.
Images impressionnantes à #Barjols dans le #Var !
Johan Rouquet (@JohanRouquet) November 23, 2019
Les précipitations intenses vont continuer toute la journée notamment dans l’Est Var. Le niveau des cours d'eau grimpe encore et encore.
Soyez très vigilants ! #METEO83 #Orages #Intemperies
pic.twitter.com/Hi7CYui3Zs
By noon Saturday more than 2,400 houses in the Var, where the French Riviera is located, had lost electricity – while rail services between Toulon and Nice were cut due to flooding on the tracks.
Meanwhile there were reports of landslides in the Alpes-Maritimes region, where 100mm of rain had already fallen by Saturday morning.
Firefighters have responded to hundreds of emergency calls since Friday night.
