France braces for worsening floods as a man went missing in the Loire River and the country marked a record 35 consecutive days of rain, national forecasters said Wednesday, with Storm Pedro set to drive fresh downpours across the west.
Meteo-France, the national weather service, said the streak is the longest series of rainy days since measurements began in 1959, surpassing a previous record set in 2023. The relentless precipitation has saturated soils and swollen rivers across western regions, pushing several waterways to flood stage.
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Officials placed four departments in western France on red alert for flooding, the country’s most serious warning level, and issued orange alerts for nine others. Authorities warned that conditions could deteriorate as Storm Pedro tracks across swathes of western Europe, bringing stronger winds and additional rain.
In Bordeaux, Mayor Pierre Hurmic activated the city’s emergency plan for the first time since record floods in 1999. The move allows the southwestern city to mobilize personnel and resources more quickly as water levels rise and river currents strengthen.
Search teams were deployed on the Loire after a man was reported missing amid treacherous conditions. Authorities said strong currents and cold water offered little chance of finding the person alive.
Flooding has already cut off roads and inundated neighborhoods in parts of the Charente-Maritime department. In the town of Saintes, several central streets were underwater, and the Arch of Germanicus — a landmark marking the ancient Roman entrance to the town — was surrounded by floodwaters. Around 50 streets and 900 homes have been flooded, local officials said, adding that preparations were under way for further rises.
“The flood peak is not expected before Saturday or Sunday,” Saintes Mayor Bruno Drapron said, urging residents to stay vigilant as rivers continued to climb.
Forecasters warned that additional rainfall on Wednesday and Thursday could feed ongoing floods. “The new rainfall expected on Wednesday and Thursday could fuel the current floods,” said Lucie Chadourne-Facon, director of the flood alert service Vigicrues. She said the affected regions should see drier weather starting Friday, but cautioned that river levels and saturated ground will keep risks elevated.
“The end of the rain does not mean the end of the flooding,” Chadourne-Facon told reporters. “A return to normal conditions will then occur very gradually.”
Local authorities in the hardest-hit areas urged residents to avoid driving through flooded zones, monitor official alerts and prepare for potential evacuations where necessary. With soils saturated and river systems under strain, even modest rain in the coming days could prolong or worsen flooding before levels begin to recede.
While France experiences winter storms and rising waters most years, the duration and geographic spread of this season’s rain has stood out, compounding the risk of flash floods and river overflows from the Loire Valley to the Atlantic coast. Officials said they would continue to reassess alert levels as Storm Pedro moves in and river gauges across western France approach their forecast peaks.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
