Two killed, 24 missing in floods in France and Italy Extreme weather

Flooding from recorded rainfall in a hilly area France Italy has killed two people in Italy and at least 24 are missing in both countries.

The storm moved overnight in southeastern France and then in the north Italy Flooding occurred on both sides of the border, destroying bridges, blocking roads and isolating communities.

In the northern Italian region of Val di Asta, a firefighter was killed during a rescue operation. In Versailles County, a body was found near the spot where a man was swept away in floodwaters late Friday.

Sixteen people are reported missing in Italy, all but one of whom were traveling in cars on the high mountains of the Col de Tente between France and Italy, civil defense officials said.

They were driven by two adults from Germany with their 11-year-old and six-year-old grandchildren, including a couple of brothers returning from France.

A spokesman for Italian firefighters said they were searching for a shepherd who had been swept away in floodwaters in Cole de Tende.

A spokeswoman, Luca Carey, said the other missing persons in Italy were suspected of having lost telephone contact and were not currently considered an immediate danger.

Gary said the situation on the high hill was complicated by the fact that French emergency responders could not access the side of a tunnel due to flood damage. Italian firefighters were searching the French side.

In the Piedmont region of northern Italy, overnight rainfall reached a record high since 1958. The Italian Civil Defense Agency reported 630 mm (24.8in) of rain in 24 hours.

Hundreds of rescue operations were underway. Eleven managers were rescued in the province of Versailles, where floodwaters reached 20 years. Alpine rescue teams came to the aid of seven people in flood-ravaged homes in Derm de Voldemort.

In southeastern France, the mountains around the city of Nice received an average annual rainfall of less than 12 hours.

Local firefighters said the vehicle, including two firefighters, was carried into the water when the road collapsed during the rescue operation.

Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi expressed his “sympathy and sympathy” to the families. More than 100 homes were said to have been destroyed or severely damaged. Dozens of people were evacuated from their homes overnight, firefighters said.

French President Emmanuel Macron thanked those rescued. “We will come this way together,” he said.