Bad weather continues in the south-east of France.
The Var department is still placed on orange rain-flood and flood alert this Saturday evening, the prefecture announced.
This was already the case this Saturday morning at dawn.
“The rains approaching the region will strengthen in a lasting manner with intensities of 10 to 20 mm/h during most of the night from Saturday to Sunday,” warns the prefecture in its press release.
“Accumulations of 100 to 120 mm and locally 150 mm in a little over 12 hours” are expected this Sunday in the department.
#WEATHER83 |
Situation update this Saturday, March 9 at 5 p.m. in the #Var⤵️
> weather,
> expected flood peaks
> strengthening of the operational system
> Safety instructions
➕️ info 👉 https://t.co/2CnSJBngOx pic.twitter.com /gz0rCVxEKj
— Prefect of Var (@Prefet83) March 9, 2024
This is due to the passage of depression Monica, which also affects the Alpes-Maritimes and Ardèche.
In the Var, the phenomenon is accentuated by “a Mediterranean episode”.
Limit travel
As a result, overflows are expected on certain rivers, notably the Gapeau and Argens rivers, as well as the Nartuby river.
#WEATHER83 |
⚠️ The heavy rains affecting the #Var will continue overnight from this Saturday to Sunday and cause significant runoff and overflowing of rivers.
✅️ Peak overflows are expected on Sunday morning
🟠 If your home… pic.twitter.com/ywbCnEAtVn
— Prefect of Var (@Prefet83) March 9, 2024
To deal with this situation, emergency reinforcements are mobilized in the department.
“Since midday and until tomorrow, additional firefighters have been on duty in the emergency centers,” the press release said.
Aquatic protection units are also mobilized “in all critical sectors of the department, in particular the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, East-Var, Dracénie but also Center-Var and the west of the department”.
The prefect recommends that residents limit their travel during the weekend and “stay away from the coast”.
The prefecture also recommends moving “your vehicle if it is placed on a low point or an underground garage located in an area known to be susceptible to flooding” or even “not going down into the basements”.