Severe floods in Bouches-du-Rhône cause three deaths and mass evacuations
Floods in Bouches-du-Rhône have killed three people, including a 75-year-old man and two women, while dozens are housed in emergency shelters.
An official update from the prefecture of Bouches-du-Rhône confirms that record-high floodwaters have caused three deaths: a 75-year-old man in Saint-Mitre-les-Remparts and two women, 26 and 86, discovered drowned in a cellar in Lançon-Provence. One individual was reported injured. Emergency services have taken in several hundred residents, with roughly 250 accommodated in Saint-Martin-de-Crau and three in Mouriès. Authorities report extensive material damage, which is still being evaluated.
Prefect Jacques Witkowski expressed solidarity with those in distress and announced that civil-security military units will be deployed from Thursday to reinforce pumping operations. The situation remains fluid as rescue and recovery efforts continue.
Why it matters
The floods illustrate the growing risk of extreme weather in southern France and the scale of emergency response required.
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