At least three people died in floods caused by strong precipitation and storms that have beat the south of France since Monday.
The bodies of an elderly couple were found in Le Lavandou seaside resort, while another person died after being trapped in a car in Vidauban, local authorities reported on Tuesday.
The rains caused generalized damage in the region, flooding the streets and causing power and water failures. At least two regional trains stopped their trips overnight after the railways were damaged.
The deceased couple had tried to leave their homes but was swept away “surprised by the very rapid increase in water levels,” said Toulon prosecutor.
An investigation was opened on their death.
“We are in shock at the level of the natural disaster that struck the cavalier district this morning,” said Lavandou officials. They said the city center had been flooded 256 mm of rain in just one hour.
The city, about 30 km (18 miles) east of St Tropez, is a vacation destination along the French Riviera.
“It was a truly violent, unpleasant and incomprehensible phenomenon,” said local mayor Gil Bernardi, describing “torn roads” and “broken bridges”.
Lavandou was still suffering from power and water failures on Tuesday and access was also limited while the main road in the city remained flooded.
Meanwhile, officials further north in Vidauban said that a person died after the car in which he was driven on a flooded road and fell into a ditch.
A passerby tried to save the two occupants – the driver and the passenger – but could not save the driver, said the mayor of the city of Vidauban, Claude Pianetti.
More than 500 calls were launched to emergency services in the Var region in the last day, the authorities said. Several hundred emergency rescuers have also been deployed in the region, including neighboring cities like Cannes.
Var was placed in other emergency warnings for thunderstorms and floods on Tuesday morning, but they were then demoted to the lowest level.
More than 600 houses remain without electricity, local authorities said earlier.
Strong rains and hailstorm storms had struck the southwest of France on Monday evening. The Bordeaux-Toulouse railway line has been assigned by certain trains on the route canceled for the next few days.
