In total, six departments have been placed on maximum alert for rain-flooding and floods, due to the heavy precipitation which fell on part of France this Thursday, October 17.
Published: October 17, 2024 at 2:42 p.m.
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QFour departments, Ardèche, Loire, Haute-Loire and Rhône, have been placed on red alert for a risk of flooding and rain flooding, Météo France announces Thursday October 17, 2024 at noon. Barely two hours laterthe organization added the Alpes-Maritimes and Lozère among the departments in red.
The departments of Haute-Loire and Ardèche were first placed on red alert before being joined by the Loire and the Rhône. Orange vigilance has also been established for 20 other departments for the risk of storms, rain, flooding and floods.
Heavy rain, storms and floods are recorded and forecast in many regions (Cévennes, Massif Central, Occitanie, East Provence, South Aquitaine).
The town hall of Annonay, in Ardèche, requested the evacuation of nurseries and schools in the face of rising waters.
Intense rains
This Wednesday morning we recorded up to 168 mm in 12 hours in Cassagnas (48), including 40 mm in one hour. Rainfall also temporarily affected the PACA region, locally giving 100 mm in the Alpes-Maritimes (102 mm in Mandelieu) and 50 mm in the interior of Var (58 mm in Les Arcs). Significant amounts of rain were also recorded at the bottom of the range in the Hautes-Pyrénées, with 71 mm in 24 hours in Gavarnie.
Accumulations up to 500 mm
On the relief of the Cévennes and Vivarais, the accumulations reach 200 to 300 mm since the start of the episode, up to occasionally 350/400 mm in the Lozère Cévennes and 450/500 mm on the Ardèche mountains: 391 mm in Villefort (48), 509 mm at Mayres (07), 468 mm at Loubaresse (07) and 235 mm at Mont Aigoual (30).
The sometimes intense rains will continue until the end of the day, mainly affecting the relief where an additional 70 to 100 mm (locally 130 mm) is expected.
In the Alpes-Maritimes and the Var, a new rainy and stormy episode is setting in, intense rains will occur at times, which can give 70 to 80 mm in a short time, or even 100 mm locally on the relief. These are intensities comparable to what we have experienced in recent episodes. Calm during the night from Thursday to Friday.
In the Pyrénées-Atlantiques and the Hautes-Pyrénées, persistent precipitation ends up giving very significant rainfall accumulations, of the order of 70 to 100 mm, locally more, in particular on the Basque mountains.
Over the rest of the southwest, rain and thunderstorms set in and last until Friday morning. The rains will become particularly lasting in the evening and the following night. Under storms, it could fall up to 30 to 50 mm in 2 to 3 hours. And more generally, over the entire episode, accumulations of 50 to 90 mm of rain are expected with possible peaks of around 100 mm between the Lot and the Tarn.
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