A mudslide hit a house in Courmelles in northern France. A 57-year-old woman died and her husband was injured.
Heavy rainfall, hail and thunderstorms hit northeastern and western France on Wednesday. The downpours caused local flooding and landslides.
A tragic event took place in Courmelles on the night from Wednesday to Thursday. A 57-year-old woman who was staying at home with her husband when a mudslide hit him died. The authorities of the Aisne prefecture announced the death of the 57-year-old woman. The man was injured while running away from the advancing mud.
“The mud fell on an area with about ten houses, hitting one in particular,” added Arnaud Svrcek, mayor of Courmelles. A temporary shelter and aid center was opened for people affected by the avalanche.
Flooded roads and large hail
On Wednesday evening, the Ile-de-France region, where Paris is located, was also affected by violent phenomena. Roads in the Val-d'Oise department were flooded as a result of heavy rain.
However, in the commune of Chablis in Burgundy, hail caused damage to vineyards. Some growers said the hailstones were the size of tennis balls. “We've never seen anything like this,” Julie Fevre admitted.
Main photo source: ENEX