18 firefighters intervene, Saint-Raphaël basilica damaged by lightning

A violent storm hit the Var region this Wednesday, September 4th in the middle of the evening. Firefighters were working on 18 intervention sites at 10:40 p.m., including the Basilica of Saint-Raphaël, damaged by lightning.

After the torrential rain that fell on Marseille in the late afternoon, the Var was also hit this Wednesday, September 4 in the evening by a violent storm. The Keraunos violent storm observatory reports 115mm of precipitation in Fréjus and 140mm locally in the department.

According to the Var departmental fire and rescue service (Sdis 83), there were 18 theatres of intervention at 10:40 p.m. The most emblematic operation concerned the Notre-Dame-de-la-Victoire de Lépante basilica in Saint-Raphaël. The dome of the religious building was struck by lightning.

Specifically, a stone cross was struck by lightning. It broke and fell onto the public highway. The roof of the basilica was damaged. There were no injuries but a security perimeter was set up.

Firefighters say the basilica had protection that should have contained the lightning.

50 residents of a campsite relocated

Among other notable interventions, the Var firefighters rescued 50 people housed in a campsite in Puget-sur-Argens. They were rehoused in bungalows.

In Roquebrune-sur-Argens, four cars were taken by the water. A woman was able to be rescued thanks to private individuals.

Around fifteen people called the emergency services to report flooded cellars, but the fire brigade said they would intervene on Thursday, as they had to wait until the rainfall and the gullies stopped.