Nineteen feared dead amid heavy flooding in French Riviera

Violent storms and flooding send water cascading through Antibes, Cannes and Nice, inundating a retirement home and killing three people inside 

Nineteen people are feared dead after violent storms and severe flooding swept the French Riviera, including three people who drowned in a retirement home after a river broke its banks.
Heavy flooding along the Cote d’Azur on Saturday saw the river Brague burst its banks close to the city of Antibes, flooding a home for the elderly.
The French president, François Hollande said in a statement at least 16 people were dead and a further three are missing. The interior ministry said earlier in the morning that there was “little hope to find the [missing] alive”.
Five people are believed to have died trying to park their cars under shelter, according to local authorities. Three more people drowned when their car became stuck inside a tunnel.

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A woman in her 60s died in the street in Cannes when huge storms hit the region on Saturday. Water and debris coursed down submerged roads in the festival town and in the neighbouring city of Nice. Another victim was found dead at a campsite in Antibes, according to officials.
More than 17cm (6.7in) of rain fell on the Cannes region in two hours, radio France Bleu-Azur reported.
Guardian journalist Stuart Dredge, attending the MIPJunior television conference in Cannes, said the venue for the event had been flooded. He said he had walked knee-deep in water on his way home on Saturday night after watching the England-Australia Rugby World Cup match.
“By half-time, the street outside was running with water, and the main Rue d’Antibes road in Cannes was between ankle and knee-deep at its lower points,” he said.
“The crossroads were the most dangerous parts: the water really was pouring down from the higher ground with strong currents – and a fair few people walking home had been drinking, so their balance would have been a bit impaired already.”

Dredge said he did not see anyone fall into the water, although some moped drivers needed assistance. “This morning, there are a few cars that have clearly been swept along and deposited leaning against railings. When I got home the power was out in my building, but it came back on again shortly before midnight.”
“I think Cannes probably got off lightly, comparably. It was a hairy walk home, but I didn’t feel in true danger,” he added.