Region near French-Italian border is battling floods as storm Alex hit the area on Saturday. The storm has caused heavy flooding. The floods have damaged homes and swept away roads. Storm Alex ravaged several villages around Nice on the French Riviera.

Meteo France said that 450mm (17.7 inches) of rain was recorded over 24 hours in some areas, which is the equivalent of close to four months of rain at this time of the year.

A fireman died and 19 people were missing in France and Italy

Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi called it the worst flooding disaster in the area for more than a century after flying over the worst-hit area by helicopter.

“The roads and about 100 houses were swept away or partially destroyed,” he told French news channel BFM.

At least eight people were missing in France, authorities said. These included two firemen whose vehicle was carried away by a swollen river, according to local witnesses cited by several French media.

A fireman was killed by a falling tree in the Valle d’Aosta region, while three people travelling in a van were swept away by floodwaters in Val Roya on the border with France.

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Six German trekkers were among the missing after failing to return from a trip in the mountains in the province of Cuneo.

In northwest Italy, several roads and bridges have been swept away.

Eric Ciotti, a member of French parliament who is from one of the worst affected villages in the area, Saint-Martin-Vésubie, said several villages were cut off as they are located in steep-sided valleys of the mountainous region.

Lockdown in Paris

France is having to battle floods just as it moves to impose lockdown to contain coronavirus. Although French President Emmanuel Macron has said that there would not be any nationwide lockdown, 

Health Minister Olivier Veran said on Thursday the Paris region was set to be placed on maximum COVID-19 alert from as soon as Monday as cases rise.

Veran said the Paris region had passed all three of the government’s criteria for being put on the highest level of alert. In the past 24 hours, the coronavirus infection rate had surpassed 250 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

(With agency inputs)