in this department of Burgundy, a month of rain falls… in one night

The weather is decidedly intractable in this year 2024. This September 8, Saône-et-Loire is on orange “rain-floods” alert. In places, a month of rain fell… in one night.

► UPDATE 5 p.m. : Météo France places Saône-et-Loire on orange “flood” alert, mainly in the Seille basin.

As if the year wasn’t rainy enough already! This October 8, 2024, Saône-et-Loire wakes up with its feet in the water. Météo France has placed the department on orange “rain-flood” alert. The Météo Saône-et-Loire site mentions a “exceptional rainy-stormy episode” with more than 500 lightning strikes during the night. In fact, the early morning readings are already eloquent.

“Ce morning, almost two thirds of the department measures more than 50 mm, around a quarter is approaching 100 mm, and will probably exceed them by noon”indicates Météo Saône-et-Loire.

Most affected area: Bresse. At 7:30 a.m., a resident noted 110 mm of rain in Mervans. “The passage under the railway is completely flooded, the town too, the restaurant too”she said. Internet users also note 110 mm in La Chapelle-Naude; 108 mm at Baudrières.

► ALSO READ: “The fields look like ponds”: after a night of intense rain, they wake up with their feet in the water

At 7 a.m., Météo Saône-et-Loire recorded 96 mm of rain in Branges, 95 mm in La Genête, 91 mm in Thurey. Météo France records 83 mm in Louhans. That’s the equivalent of what usually falls… in a month.

This heavy rainfall is causing rivers to overflow in places. La Bourbince “has gained more than a meter since last night”note Météo Saône-et-Loire. “She got out of her bed in Montceau-les-Mines”notes an Internet user. The level of the Seille has also increased significantly.

At 8 a.m., firefighters had already carried out around twenty interventions for flooded cellars. As for the roads, some are affected by rising waters, “mainly in Bresse Louhannaise”, indicate the firefighters.

The prefecture’s services are in the process of taking stock of the situation. On social networks, Internet users who took to the road this morning are already drawing up the first observations: “the Cluny exit on the RCEA is underwater”warns a driver.

The rains will gradually ease to give way to wind, indicates Météo France. This Wednesday, October 9, “the wind is strengthening both in Yonne and on the Val de Saône side with gusts close to 60 to 65 km/h”.