France Declares 'Red Alert' for Southeastern Coastal Departments Amid Flash Floods

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - France has issued the highest "red" alert for two of its departments located on the southeastern Mediterranean coast in light of heavy rains and flash floods in the region, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said on Saturday.

"Red level in Var and Alpes-Maritimes. If you live in these departments, be vigilant, warn your relatives and friends and follow recommendations of the authorities", Castaner wrote on Twitter.

He added that relevant agencies were working at the scene to help people.

🔴 #PluiesInondations et #Inondations : le #Var et les #AlpesMaritimes sont placés en #VigilanceRouge.
Des #inondations importantes sont attendues entre cette nuit et la matinée de dimanche.

👉 https://t.co/OFNrO4qWoV
⚠️ Respectez les consignes de #sécurité & protégez vos biens. pic.twitter.com/hXE9AaEYxq

— Ministère de l'Intérieur - Alerte (@Beauvau_Alerte) November 23, 2019

​According to the BFMTV channel, hundreds of people have been evacuated due to heavy rains in the department of Var. At least 1,300 homes have faced a blackout, with trains also running with delays.

Les eaux furieuses dévalent certains secteurs de #Brignoles dans le #Var. #VigilanceRouge source vidéo : Mélanie Magro pic.twitter.com/vdrTf50CH3

— Extrême Météo (@ExtremeMeteo) November 23, 2019

​Most recently, last week, France faced another weather anomaly when hundreds of thousands of homes suffered from a power outage amid heavy snowfalls in the region of Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, southeast-central France.