British woman is one of three confirmed dead as severe flooding hits the south of France
Emergency services are still carrying out rescue operations in the region
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A 68-year-old British woman died after being swept away by a flood outside her home in Cazouls-d’Herault, east of Beziers, French media have reported.
It is believed the woman was carried away by the floods in the town and was later found unconscious in a vineyard, about 100m away.
She was then taken by helicopter to hospital in Montpellier where she later died.
About 2,000 firefighters and emergency service personnel were deployed to the region when rivers burst their banks, blocking roads and causing widespread chaos.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: ‘We are supporting the family of a British woman who has died in Cazouls-d’Herault and our staff are in contact with the French authorities.”
French officials said later that it was not clear whether the two other reported deaths were directly linked to the flooding.
In the Gard region, a man in his 90s was killed on Wednesday when his car came off the road.
Authorities in the Pyrénées-Orientales prefecture also told AFP that a homeless man was found dead on Tuesday. An inquiry was under way to determine the cause of his death.
Around 700 homes remain without power in Herault and Gard, and the flooding could halt train services across much of the area until at least November 4, the SNCF train has operator warned.
Heavy floods have caused widespread damage in southern Europe this week with at least two people killed in Italy and one person in northern Spain.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments