PARIS
France's interior minister announced Tuesday a state of emergency in southern France, where heavy rains have caused widespread flooding.
Local government officials said in a statement that the declaration concerns towns and villages in the area, after more than 4000 people spent the night in emergency centers and education facilities, or stuck in train stations or the airport.
Schools have been closed and all forms of travel have been disrupted.
“We will put in place natural disaster measures for about 60 towns,” Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve told BFMTV on Tuesday.
Since Monday, Herault in southern France has witnessed heavy rain that has caused extensive flooding, especially in Montpellier. Several roads were blocked into the city and many people have been moved from their homes to temporary accomdation in the city's concert hall.
According to the municipality, emergency workers were called out more than 1200 times, backed by three helicopters.
Locals say it’s the heaviest rain in over a decade.
"Floods are very devastating, this is the first time I see this," the Mayor of Montpellier, Philippe Saurel told BFMTV on Monday.
On Tuesday morning, he assured that the situation was "stable and under control" and that no casualties had been reported.
Ten days ago, heavy rain left four people dead in southern France when they were swept away in raging flood waters.
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