This archive report was first published on 14 December 2019.
Published on December 14, 2019, a severe storm system brought heavy rains and strong winds to southwest France, causing widespread flooding and power outages.
According to reports, a 70-year-old man lost his life in the Pyrenees-Atlantique department when his vehicle struck a fallen tree during the storm.
Five others were injured, two seriously, when trees fell on their vehicles in the same region.
In the Lot-et-Garonne region, a man in his seventies was swept away by rising waters while trying to collect his mail.
Rescuers resumed their search efforts on Saturday as floods inundated parts of the region, with waters rising to nearly nine feet and 30 centimeters per hour in some areas.
The prefecture in Pau cancelled a rugby rematch between Cardiff Blues and Pau due to the severe weather conditions.
Access to the skiing stations of Gourette and Artouste was cut off due to flooding and landslides, while the distribution of potable water in the commune of Laruns was interrupted.
Approximately 600 people were evacuated in the Landes department as a precautionary measure in areas where the Gaves de Pau and Oloron rivers converge.
"We're getting used to this now," said Christian, a weary pensioner. "We put everything on the upper levels, and we clear out everything from the garage."
"This is happening more and more," he added. "It's here that we see there is a malfunctioning with the weather."
