The death toll following devastating flooding across France and Italy has today risen to 12, as six more bodies have been discovered washed up on a shoreline.
Hundreds of rescue workers are searching for up to 20 other people who are still thought to be missing following flooding in France's south-eastern Alpes-Maritimes region and Italy's north-western regions of Liguria and Piedmont.
Local authorities in Italy say they have found six bodies on its shores. The sixth body, of a woman, was washed up in Liguria today, according to Italian news agency ANSA.
Flooding devastated the mountainous areas after a storm swept through on Friday and Saturday.
The prefect of Alpes-Maritimes told the Nice Matin newspaper that some bodies found in Italy were apparently from coffins that had been swept across the border by the raging water.
The death toll following devastating flooding across France and Italy has today risen to 12, as six more bodies have been discovered washed up on a shoreline
Hundreds of rescue workers are searching for up to 20 other people who are still thought to be missing following flooding in France's south-eastern Alpes-Maritimes region and Italy's north-western regions of Liguria and Piedmont
Local authorities in Italy say they have found six bodies on its shores. The sixth body, of a woman, was washed up in Liguria today, according to Italian news agency ANSA
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Bernard Gonzalez said on Monday afternoon that two more bodies had been found in the region after another was found on Sunday in the hard-hit town of Saint-Martin-Vesubie.
Another body was later found in the same town, he said later, bringing the total on the French side to four.
In Italy, a woman's body was discovered on Monday in the Mediterranean Sea by the Ligurian province of Imperia.
Five other bodies, all men, were found on Sunday in the sea near San Remo, on the beach in the Italian border town of Ventimiglia and along the Imperia coast.
Flooding devastated the mountainous areas after a storm swept through on Friday and Saturday, causing massive damage to buildings and cars
Bernard Gonzalez said on Monday afternoon that two more bodies had been found in the region after another was found on Sunday in the hard-hit town of Saint-Martin-Vesubie
Another body was later found in the same town, he said later, bringing the total on the French side to four. In Italy, a woman's body was discovered on Monday in the Mediterranean Sea by the Ligurian province of Imperia.
Five other bodies, all men, were found on Sunday in the sea near San Remo, on the beach in the Italian border town of Ventimiglia and along the Imperia coast
Mr Gonzalez said he had been in touch with Italian colleagues about bodies found on the beaches of Liguria earlier in the search
Mr Gonzalez said he had been in touch with Italian colleagues about bodies found on the beaches of Liguria.
'The bodies found correspond to decomposing cadavers from our side… but it's most likely the bodies came from cemeteries swept away by the water,' the paper quoted him as saying.
Efforts to identify the bodies were under way, but he did not say how many corpses he was talking about.
As well as humans, cows were not spared from the powerful floodwater rushing south from the hills. A dead cow washed up on a beach in the French Riviera town of Saint-Laurent du Var.
'The bodies found correspond to decomposing cadavers from our side… but it's most likely the bodies came from cemeteries swept away by the water,' the paper quoted him as saying
Efforts to identify the bodies were under way but he did not say how many corpses he was talking about. Pictured: Emergency services in Breil-sur-Roya, France
As well as humans, cows were not spared from the powerful floodwater rushing south from the hills. A dead cow washed up on a beach in the French Riviera town of Saint-Laurent du Var
In France, firefighters are still searching for at least eight missing people who witnesses described as possibly being carried off by floodwater.
They included two firefighters whose vehicle fell into the water as a road collapsed.
French rescuers are also seeking to locate 12 other people whose families have not heard of them since the storm, which blocked roads and cut off communications.
Authorities also found the body of a shepherd who had disappeared in the mountains. A firefighter died in the border region of Valle d'Aosta.
In France, firefighters are still searching for at least eight missing people who witnesses described as possibly being carried off by floodwater
French rescuers are also seeking to locate 12 other people whose families have not heard of them since the storm, which blocked roads and cut off communications
Authorities also found the body of a shepherd who had disappeared in the mountains. A firefighter died in the border region of Valle d'Aosta
The flooding has put additional stress on regions coping with the coronavirus pandemic. The governors of Liguria and Piedmont have asked the Italian government for emergency aid.
Over the weekend the army was deployed in France as part of the rescue operation. Breil-sur-Roya, a French village close to the Italian border, was a scene of devastation with houses buried in mud and turned-over cars stuck in the riverbed.
In northwestern Italy the 'historic' flooding destroyed a section of a bridge over the Sesia river, while several border several villages were cut off, and many roads blocked
The flooding has put additional stress on regions coping with the coronavirus pandemic.
The governors of Liguria and Piedmont have asked the Italian government for emergency aid.
Over the weekend the army was deployed in France as part of the rescue operation.
Breil-sur-Roya, a French village close to the Italian border, was a scene of devastation with houses buried in mud and turned-over cars stuck in the riverbed.
In northwestern Italy the 'historic' flooding destroyed a section of a bridge over the Sesia river, while several border several villages were cut off, and many roads blocked.
A 53-year-old firefighter died during a rescue mission in the Aosta Valley, and a 36-year-old man died after his car was swept away by a river in Piedmont.
A 53-year-old firefighter died during a rescue mission in the Aosta Valley, and a 36-year-old man died after his car was swept away by a river in Piedmont
Over the weekend, French rescue efforts were concentrated on the Roya valley where around 1,000 firefighters backed up by helicopters and army units resumed their search hoping to find survivors, and giving assistance to people whose homes were destroyed or inaccessible
Storm Alex barrelled into France's west coast on Thursday bringing powerful winds and rain across the country before moving into Italy, where regions across the north suffered an onslaught on Saturday
France has declared the region a natural disaster zone. Many landline and some mobile phone services were disrupted, with some villages using satellite phones to communicate with rescue services
Over the weekend, French rescue efforts were concentrated on the Roya valley where around 1,000 firefighters backed up by helicopters and army units resumed their search hoping to find survivors, and giving assistance to people whose homes were destroyed or inaccessible.
Storm Alex barrelled into France's west coast on Thursday bringing powerful winds and rain across the country before moving into Italy, where regions across the north suffered an onslaught on Saturday.
'What we are going through is extraordinary,' the prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes region said Bernard Gonzalez.
'We are used to seeing images of such disasters on other continents, sometimes with a lack of concern, but this here is something that affects us all,' he said.
France has declared the region a natural disaster zone.
Many landline and some mobile phone services were disrupted, with some villages using satellite phones to communicate with rescue services.