Floods sweep across France, 4 departments on red alert

Floods swept across France on Thursday, breaking the 66-year record for the longest rain spell, with four western departments still on red alert, as Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu called for "total mobilization."

"Flooding in western France requires total mobilization. The state is engaged immediately, without delay and without respite, alongside the affected residents and impacted municipalities. Procedures to recognize a state of natural disaster have been launched," Lecornu wrote on the US social media company X.

Four departments, including Maine-et-Loire, Charente-Maritime, Gironde, and Lot-et-Garonne, are on red alert for flood risk, according to Meteo-France.

The Angers region in Maine-et-Loire has been particularly hard hit by the floods, with rivers overflowing and spilling into streets and homes across the city, according to broadcaster BFMTV.

The Seine River is also flooding in Paris, although the situation is less difficult than in western France. Several strategic routes in the capital have nonetheless been closed as a precaution.

As the country braces for the passage of Storm Pedro, ongoing flooding has disrupted rail traffic across western France.

France has reportedly experienced 35 consecutive days of rain, marking the longest continuous period of precipitation since records began in 1959.

Meteo-France has also warned of a high avalanche risk in the Alps, with the situation potentially turning "critical."