Intense thunderstorm floods central France, 1 missing

A powerful thunderstorm dumped very heavy rain over parts of central France Tuesday afternoon, June 13, 2017, causing severe flash floods. At least one person is missing, presumed dead.

Houses were submerged, vehicles swept away, and roads blocked by fallen trees after a powerful storm lashed parts of central France Tuesday afternoon. River levels sharply rose, causing severe flash floods, after some regions received more than 200 mm (7.9 inches) of rain within 3 hours, and more than 100 mm (3.9 inches) in just 1 hour.

More than 250 lightning strikes per minute were recorded at the height of the storm. The region was also battered by large hail, as big as golf balls and eggs, and winds in excess of 90 km/h (56 mph).

According to The Local, a tractor driven by a 26-year-old man was swept away by floodwaters in the village of Brignon, Haute-Loire department in south-central France.

The paper said his vehicle was swept away while he was helping firefighters find a way to a house of an elderly person who was stranded. Rescue teams continued to search for him on Wednesday morning.

At least two more people were reported missing in the same area but have since been accounted for.

Featured image: Asperatus undulatus (Asperitas) clouds over Braga, Portugal on June 13, 2017. Credit: Guilherme Silva