As many as 1,100 homes in south-west France lost electricity, and several villages are still underwater following a weekend of intense rain and storms. The departments of Dordogne, Corrèze, and Gironde have been placed on orange alert for flooding.
After a weekend of intense rainfall, three departments are under flood warnings this Easter Monday.
The floodwaters in Le Bugue (Dordogne) began to recede on Monday morning.
Continuous rain and thunderstorms over the weekend led to rising river levels across all three departments, notably affecting the Vézère, Loyre, Auvézère, and Céou rivers.
Authorities have urged drivers to steer clear of the flooded zones.
The Vézère river overflowed late Saturday, flooding streets and vehicles in villages such as Le Bugue, located in Dordogne.
According to local outlet ici Périgord, by Sunday morning, several cars parked in the town were nearly completely underwater.
Firefighters in the area responded to around 28 flood-related incidents.
“They arrived in diving suits to secure the cars,” Le Bugue mayor Serge Léonidas told Sud Ouest.
“We had posted warning signs the day before, but people ignored the danger,” said Dordogne’s deputy prefect Nicolas Dufaud to France Info, noting that most emergency responses involved removing trapped vehicles. “So far, there have been no reports of injuries,” he added.
Meanwhile, around 1,100 homes were left without power on Monday morning after trees fell onto power lines, according to the prefecture.
In Le Bugue, the Parc du Bournat amusement park was also forced to remain closed on Monday.
“The heavy rainfall has rendered our parking areas unusable, and we must wait for the water to go down,” the park stated. “This is a major setback for us.”
Additionally, around 100 people had to be evacuated from campsites in the department, particularly upstream in Terrasson.
In Montignac-Lascaux (Dordogne), the river surged nearly three meters in just two hours — an extraordinary occurrence, according to the town’s mayor.
“It rose by 2.8 meters in two hours, which is unprecedented. I’ve never seen the river rise so quickly,” Laurent Mathieu told ici Périgord.
About 20 people had to be rescued from a bus that became stranded due to the flooding. “Thankfully, everything turned out okay — the bus could have been carried away by the current,” Mr. Mathieu later told France Info.
St Léon-sur-Vézère mayor Yannick Dalbavie told French media that the flooding was “more striking than severe.”
“We’re accustomed to dealing with floods in our small village,” he explained to Le Figaro. “Everything has been prepared for, and there are no issues.”
Nevertheless, the Dordogne Secours Populaire has activated an emergency plan to offer material assistance “regardless of income” and financial support “based on the needs of the affected individuals,” while also deploying volunteers to help victims.
Water Levels Begin to Drop in Some Areas
In Montignac, the Vézère river had risen to over five meters early Monday, but it is expected to start receding before noon, according to the Corrèze prefecture.
Meanwhile, the water level of the Céou river, which also passes through the Lot and Dordogne departments, has started to decrease, though authorities remain worried about the Dronne river.
The Dronne, which flows through five departments before merging with the Isle river at Coutras (Gironde), continues to rise, with water levels expected to peak between 10 a.m. and noon today, April 21.
Drivers are advised to avoid specific roads near the Vézère, Dronne, Isle, and Céou rivers.
Météo-France has urged residents to stay updated and follow public safety instructions, warning: “Dangerous weather is anticipated. Stay informed and adhere to any official directives.”
