Floods in southern France: one dead near Marseille, one missing in Corsica

A new wave of bad weather hit southeastern France, causing floods, sweeping away cars and submerging homes. The torrential rain began Monday and eased around midday Tuesday, moving from the Occitanie region toward Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur.

A 75-year-old man was found dead in Istres, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, after being swept away by floodwater in Saint-Mitre-les-Remparts. A helicopter had also been deployed in the search for him. According to reports, ground movements affected about 200 homes in Istres, while more than 220 millimeters of rain was recorded in Saint-Chamas within 24 hours.

Missing in Corsica

In Ghisonaccia, in Haute-Corse, the prefecture said one person is missing. Two people were in an off-road vehicle that was swept away by the Fium’orbu river; one managed to escape through a window, while rescue teams are searching for the second. North of Solenzara, nearly 400 millimeters of rain has fallen since the start of the episode.

Evacuations and blocked traffic

In Istres, about 50 kilometers west of Marseille, some residents were evacuated and housed in a sports hall. In Lunel, about 15 people were taken in at a municipal center, while in Nîmes the A9 highway was closed for several hours and trains continued to run late. In Marseille, sections of highways flooded, exits were closed and tram service was suspended on Tuesday morning.

The episode is linked to a cold low-pressure system named “Adam,” which earlier brought torrential rain and flooding to Spain, where at least four deaths have been reported.