Extreme Weather in Europe |
Posted by MBA Bali Tour on Sat Feb 01, 2014 |
Areas of Italy and France are on flood alert as heavy rain brings chaos to parts of Europe.
Hundreds of people were forced to evacuate their homes in the Italian city of Pisa as the Arno river threatened to burst its banks on Friday.
High seas are expected to cause widespread flooding along France's Atlantic coast.
Meanwhile, deep snow drifts left dozens of people stranded in Serbia.
Local officials declared a state of emergency and deployed rescue teams to help travellers trapped in their vehicles. Snow storms and strong winds have been sweeping across Eastern Europe.
Italian media said a stretch of medieval wall measuring about 30m (95ft) in the town of Volterra, in the province of Pisa, collapsed as a result of heavy rain.
The French department of Finistere, in the west of the country, was placed on red alert as forecasters warned of huge waves and extensive flooding. Ten other French departments were also on alert for rising water levels.
Two people have died and more than 150 people have been airlifted to safety after floods hit south-eastern France, local authorities say.
One man died in his basement and another was swept away in his car while a third person was missing in a boat in the Var area. Some 4,000 homes have been left without power, officials say.
Local official Laurent Cayrel told a news conference that there had been "record rainfall".
"The situation is very worrying, and it's not going to get any better tonight," he told reporters on Sunday, amid forecasts of further rainfall.
By Sunday evening, 155 people had been airlifted from the worst-hit areas and the evacuation of residents by boat was continuing.
One woman, who was evacuated by helicopter with her five-year-old daughter, said she had seen a huge wave wash her empty car away."It was really staggering," she said. "We had called the fire brigade who told us to move the furniture upstairs... We had very little time, the house flooded very quickly."
Some 100mm (4in) of rain has fallen in the Mediterranean resort of Nice since Thursday evening, compared with the average of 85mm for the entire month of January.
Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault is expected to travel to the flooded area on Monday morning.
At least two people died and scores had to be airlifted to safety after floods hit south-eastern France earlier this month.
Severe storms have been battering Europe for much of January.
Last changed: Sat Feb 01, 2014 at 2:12 pm