Heavy flooding in French Riviera leaves more than a dozen people dead

LONDON. KAZINFORM Violent storms and severe flooding along the French Riviera have left 13 people dead, according to emergency services, including three people who drowned in a retirement home after a river broke its banks.

Heavy flooding along the Cote d'Azur, in France's south-east, on Saturday saw the river Brague burst its banks close to the city of Antibes, flooding a home for the elderly. President François Hollande said in a statement that people were found dead in the towns of Cannes, Biot, Golfe-Juan and Mandelieu-la-Napoule in the south-east.

Five people are believed to have died attempting to park their cars under shelter, according to local authorities. Three more people drowned when their car became stuck inside a tunnel.

Obama declares state of emergency in South Carolina over floods Read more A woman in her 60s also died on the street in the resort city of Cannes when huge storms hit the region on Saturday. Water and debris coursed down submerged roads in the famous festival town and in the neighbouring city of Nice. Another victim was found dead at a campsite in Antibes, according to local officials.

More than 17cm (6.7in) of rain fell on the Cannes region in two hours, local radio France Bleu-Azur reported. Source: The Guardian See www.theguardian.com for full version