Orange alert lifted in five south-eastern French departments, but risk persists elsewhere

The orange alert for thunderstorms and rain and flooding has been lifted in five departments in south-eastern France, according to the latest bulletin from Météo-France. Bouches-du-Rhône, Var, Vaucluse, Gard and Alpes-Maritimes are no longer under this alert. However, the situation remains worrying in other regions, with seven departments still under orange alert this Thursday 5 September. These are Yonne, Nièvre, Saône-et-Loire, Allier, Loire, Haute-Loire and Puy-de-Dôme.

Persistent flooding and rain

Météo-France points out that the most violent thunderstorms have moved towards Italy, making the orange alert unnecessary for the south-east. However, ‘less stormy but more continuous rain is moving up from the Auvergne towards Burgundy’, and is expected to continue until mid-morning.

Around the Mediterranean, the rainfall was heavy, with totals ranging from 40 to 80 mm, locally reaching between 100 and 140 mm, with peaks of up to 180 mm in the east of the Var. In Auvergne and Burgundy, the rain has already brought between 30 and 60 mm, with localised peaks of 60 to 90 mm, increasing the risk of flooding in these regions.