The precautionary instructions will not have been enough.
Storm Monica, which swept across a large south-eastern quarter of France this weekend and caused violent floods, left several tragedies in its wake.
Gard is particularly grieving since the bodies of three of the six missing people were found lifeless there this Sunday.
A father and his two children aged 4 and 12 remained nowhere to be found on Sunday evening, while in Saint-Martin-de-Valamas (Ardèche), the manager of a hydroelectric power station who had gone to check his installation was missing. also on call.
Thirty-five rescues were carried out in total, according to Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin.
In Gard alone, more than 300 firefighters, gendarmes and other rescuers were mobilized.
The search, suspended at nightfall, will resume Monday morning.
Placed on orange alert by Météo France from Saturday, the department recorded record rainfall, sometimes more than a month's worth of rain in barely 24 hours, something unheard of in ten years.
Thirty-five rescues were carried out in total, according to Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin.
In Gard alone, more than 300 firefighters, gendarmes and other rescuers were mobilized (here in Russan).
AFP/Clément Mahoudeau
Several submersible bridges had thus been closed to traffic, but some ignored the instructions and ventured out anyway, like this 69-year-old retiree, of Belgian nationality but living for a long time in Gagnières, north of Nîmes.
Late Saturday afternoon, despite signs from a country guard ordering him to turn around, he attempted to cross a bridge with his 4x4 which was swept away by the swirling waters.
Only his passenger managed to escape narrowly.
Not far away, in Goudargues, two Belgian women aged 47 and 50 who were on their way to Spain also lost their lives.
They notified the emergency services, but they only found their car, from which they were never able to escape, until the end of the day on Sunday.
Dions, a village already martyred by floods in the past
In Dions, an entire family found themselves swept away while crossing the Gardon in their C4 Picasso around 11:30 p.m., without knowing whether the barrier was in place at the time of the incident. .
The mother was able to be saved, but her partner and their daughter, as well as the boy born from a first union, remain missing.
The vehicle, on the roof of which they had found refuge, was found empty on Sunday, plunging their loved ones into anguish.
Also readDepression Monica: why are floods so dangerous?
In this village, suffered several times by floods in the past, incomprehension dominates.
“When the bridge is submerged by the raging Gardon, it is impassable!
With the strength of the current and such a height of water, it was foolish to commit,” says one resident, citing the memorable floods of 1988 or 2005. “Once, I tried to pass.
I went 150 meters, went into reverse, stalled and ended up pulling away.
Fortunately, because otherwise I wouldn’t be here to tell it,” says Patrick.
Others, like Cédric, who left to pick up his son in Nîmes on Saturday evening, describe apocalyptic conditions: “A lot of rain and above all a very violent wind, to the point of destabilizing my vehicle.
Even with a big pickup like mine, we can't get through.
» Everyone remains appalled by the terrible toll, and the fear that it will increase further.
“I think of these two little ones and this father who we will probably never find,” worries a resident.
Patrick is even more pessimistic and is already talking about “absolute drama”.