Eva Gould

10/17/2018

Journalism 1

Flash Flooding In France Becomes Deadly

On October 15, 2018, in Southwest France flash flooding occurred. With wind up to 60 mph driving the rain to around 14 inches in some parts.  Floodwaters in some cases were too powerful for the emergency services to get through, even on boats. More than a thousand people were forced to evacuate their homes after emergencies were declared. Many people evacuated because of fear that a nearby dam could burst.

The French government says that “350 firefighters were working to provide relief, with 350 more on the way. Officials also deployed 160 police officers and seven helicopters to try to help those in need.” Authorities initially put the death toll at 13 and then at 10, but the Interior Ministry later said 12 people had been killed.

It is said that the Aude river rose by 8 meters in only five hours, and officials say that it hasn’t reached such levels since 1891. Citizens stated in an interview, “it was as if a wave fell upon the village — which he said now is a lake.” Many cars were swept away and tossed into big heaps of debris and other cars at the end of streets.

Two people are still missing and eight are seriously injured. The President of France Emmanuel Macron offered “the sympathy and solidarity of the entire nation for the victims of the Aude flooding and their families”. Thousands of homes throughout the area do not have electricity and helicopters are being deployed to to help the rescue efforts because of the roads being blocked with debris.