Heavy rains have caused widespread flooding in central France

Two days of heavy rain brought to the high school French widespread flooding. French weather agency Meteo France said up to 700 millimeters of rain fell in 48 hours in some local areas in the Ardeche and Lozere regions.

According to ČTK, the highest red warning for floods or heavy rain still applies to the French regions of Haute-Loire, Ardèche, Rhône, Loire, Lozère and Alpes-Maritimes. There is an orange warning in another 20 out of a hundred French regions in total.

Prime Minister of France Michel Barnier he said Friday that firefighters and other rescue workers had been involved in about 2,300 operations related to the worst floods in 40 years.

More than 1,000 people were evacuated. But most of them were able to return home on Friday. Barnier also proposed the first ever warning system, which sent out text messages urging people in the affected areas to delay or cancel their planned trips and stay put the safe place.

In the small town of Annonay, a stream that was very fast yesterday flooded roads, cellars and threatened the local school. Therefore the authorities have evacuated pupils and children from nursery schools, older students are strongly advised to stay at home. In the small town of Givors, the river Gier burst its banks, the sides disappeared under water that reached people’s knees.