At least four people have died in France and one other has been injured following severe flooding triggered by Storm Adam. The powerful weather system unleashed widespread inundation across southern France on Tuesday, submerging streets and throwing transport networks into disarray. Among the fatalities were two women aged 86 and 26 who were discovered drowned inside a cellar in the Bouches-du-Rhône region.
Corsica and Surrounding Areas Hit Hard
The island of Corsica also bore the brunt of the extreme weather conditions. Local media reported that a 4x4 vehicle was swept away by raging floodwaters on Tuesday, allowing one occupant to escape through a window while another man was unfortunately found dead. Authorities have chosen not to release additional details regarding the fourth fatality at this stage. In the towns of Mouriès and Saint-Martin-de-Crau, situated between Montpellier and Marseille, dozens of displaced residents were accommodated in emergency shelters after the floods struck. Officials confirmed that one individual sustained injuries in that specific area.
Transport Infrastructure and Official Responses
Road networks and railway lines throughout the affected zones suffered major disruptions. Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot shared updates regarding the situation in a post on X. Jacques Witkowski, the prefect of the Bouches-du-Rhône department, described the gravity of the situation in a statement on Wednesday, noting that water levels had risen to unprecedented heights. Witkowski expressed solidarity with those facing distress and emphasized that administrative teams were mobilised at an exceptional level to resolve multiple pressing issues.
Destruction Across Spain
Before hitting France, Storm Adam wreaked havoc in eastern Spain, where at least three people lost their lives. Several towns situated along the Mediterranean coast were completely isolated by floodwaters, prompting authorities to deploy helicopters to rescue residents stranded on rooftops. Members of the Military Emergencies Unit located the body of a woman in the town of Oliva, Valencia, during ongoing rescue operations on Monday. Two other women were confirmed dead over the weekend, with one body washing ashore on a beach in Sagunto within the eastern Valencia region, and another victim being swept away by currents in Cabrera de Mar near Barcelona.
Reconstruction Pledges and Financial Aid
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited the Valencia region on Tuesday and made a firm commitment that the national government would supply all necessary resources to aid in community reconstruction. Concurrently, the Valencian government approved an aid package totaling €23.5m, which equates to approximately £20m, earmarked specifically for individuals and families affected by Storm Adam.
Upcoming Weather Threats
Further severe weather remains on the horizon for France, with Storm Austen advancing as a newly named weather system originating from the Atlantic and heading towards the country's north-west. Météo-France, the national weather service, has issued an orange-level wind warning spanning five western departments from Thursday evening through Friday. The active alert covers Côtes-d'Armor, Finistère, Morbihan, Ille-et-Vilaine, and Manche. Heavy rainfall had already begun impacting south-eastern France starting on 19 October, setting the stage for these continuous environmental disasters.
