Orange flood vigilance in Corsica, Hérault and Gard, France, Digi Mart USA News (Corsica, France): Météo-France has placed four French departments, including both departments of Corsica, on orange rain-flood vigilance for Thursday, November 5, until midnight. The Hérault and Gard departments are also under the alert.
Flooding had already occurred on Wednesday in the Porto-Vecchio area of Corsica, where about twenty people had to be moved to safety. In South Corsica, firefighters rescued a person whose vehicle had been swept away by the water.
In total, ten homes were flooded and several roads were closed because bridges were submerged, particularly around Porto-Vecchio, Sotta and Figari.
Météo-France says the situation will worsen. Storms that were initially isolated along the coast are expected to multiply and intensify, with the heaviest rainfall forecast for Thursday morning, especially over the reliefs of the island’s eastern side.
In the Hérault and Gard, the alert takes effect at 10 a.m. Thursday.
In Corsica, the most intense downpours could bring 20 to 30 millimeters of rain per hour, with some points around 50 millimeters. Météo-France forecasts widespread totals of 15 to 20 centimeters over the full episode, possibly exceeding 30 centimeters locally in the highlands.
In response, the prefecture of Haute-Corse has announced several restrictions for Thursday. School outings are banned, and access to the GR20 hiking trail is prohibited.
