Var Storms: Mourning, Devastation, and the Road to Recovery

Three dead, towns unrecognizable, critical infrastructure in ruins — the Var region faces the aftermath of a deadly storm. As emotions run high, cleanup efforts and promises of national support begin to take shape.

A Heavy Human Toll and Scenes of Devastation

This Wednesday morning, residents of the Var woke up to a landscape of destruction. Less than 24 hours after a wave of violent thunderstorms swept through the department, authorities confirmed three fatalities: an elderly couple swept away in their car in Cavalière, and another victim found in Vidauban.

“She was trapped by the current; her car got stuck,” said the chief of staff to the mayor of Vidauban, describing a harrowing scene. Torrential rains — up to 255.8 mm in just three hours in Cavalière, an all-time local record — turned roads and streets into raging rivers.

Catastrophic Damage: “Like a Tsunami”

Bridges were torn away, roads collapsed, the Lavandou’s sewage treatment plant was destroyed, and entire neighborhoods were left without electricity or clean water. Dozens of vehicles were washed away, and homes and businesses flooded in minutes. “It felt like a tsunami,” said Jean, a Lavandou resident.

In Lavandou, a parking structure collapsed. In Cavalière, 2,000 residents are still without access to drinking water or electricity. Emergency water tanks have been deployed, and relocation efforts are underway for displaced families. Public transportation, halted during the storms, resumed on Wednesday.

Paralyzed Towns, A Wave of Solidarity

Across the most affected towns — Lavandou, Vidauban, Cavalière — residents, municipal workers, and volunteers have mobilized for a massive cleanup operation. With shovels and construction equipment, everyone is pitching in. But the strain is showing. Some residents had already suffered flooding just months ago. “Every time it rains, we get flooded again. It’s unbearable,” said one Vidauban woman, close to tears.

Shops and businesses remain shuttered, many inundated or damaged beyond immediate repair. Bénédicte Pélissié, a pizzeria owner, spent the afternoon pumping out 1.5 meters of water from her cellar. “Everything was floating — the freezer, supplies… We lost it all in 20 minutes.”

Locals, business owners, and officials alike are calling for urgent action against the increasing frequency and severity of such floods.

National Support and Political Commitments

On social media, President Emmanuel Macron expressed his condolences and solidarity, declaring that “the Nation stands with the people of Var — united, compassionate, and committed to rebuilding.”

François-Noël Buffet, Minister Delegate to the Interior, visited the area and pledged rapid recognition of the disaster as a “state of natural catastrophe”, unlocking faster insurance and emergency funding. That process is already underway for the town of Vidauban, according to Mayor Claude Pianetto.

Renaud Muselier, president of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, has activated the regional emergency climate fund, while Toulon’s mayor Josée Massi offered municipal assistance if needed.