Rivers in the streets, drowned cars… Heavy rainfall led to impressive flooding this Tuesday morning in Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône). “The Longchamp station recorded 48.5 mm of rain between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m.,” declares meteorologist Guillaume Séchet on X, with “total accumulations locally reaching 70 mm,” or more than a month of precipitation.
This Tuesday morning, following the bad weather, “all city agents and firefighters are hard at work to return to normal. I invite the people of Marseille to exercise caution when traveling,” wrote the mayor of Marseille Benoît Payan on X (ex-Twitter) this Tuesday morning.
A Cévennes episode was announced on Monday by Météo France, with several departments on orange rain-flood vigilance. Bouches-du-Rhône had been placed on yellow alert. The episode “will extend around the Mediterranean and towards the north-east between this Monday evening and Tuesday. Heavy accumulations are expected which could cause runoff, floods and floods,” warned Météo France.
Flooded buildings and damaged roads
The rains subsided after 9 a.m. in the Marseille city, but damage was reported. Bad weather damaged roads and flooded some buildings. The mayor of the 11th and 12th arrondissements Sylvain Souvestre (LR) posted photos on X of a school “totally flooded and access to classes and canteens is inaccessible”. He also criticizes the municipality for its lack of preparation.
In the images of the floods, we can also see vehicles submerged underwater. According to France 3, rail disruptions are expected at Saint-Charles station, and dozens of kilometers of traffic jams were recorded this morning in the city.
Other areas affected by flooding
Areas around Marseille were also affected by heavy rainfall. In Bouches-du-Rhône, “other municipalities have also suffered floods such as Vitrolles, Cabries or Trets”, notes meteorologist Paul Marquis on 3 hours.
And in neighboring Gard, several rivers overflowed and bridges were closed to traffic. The Alpes-Maritimes department closed all schools this Tuesday “due to the heavy rain forecast. »
The current disturbance is “shifting slowly towards the east” this Tuesday, specifies Vigi Météo France. And “in the departments west of the Rhône/Saône axis, precipitation is gradually weakening and no longer warrants orange level vigilance, particularly in the Cévennes part. » The Alpes-Maritimes, Hautes-Alpes, Isère, Ain and Jura are on orange rain-flood vigilance at least until midnight.
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