Red rain-flood alert in Gard and Hérault: an exceptional Mediterranean episode

Direct Red Vigilance “rain-flood” in Gard and Hérault: 200 mm of rain has already fallen in 24 hours, announces the prefecture

The two departments are placed on red alert due to an “exceptional Mediterranean episode”.

What you need to know

Red alert in Gard and Hérault. The two departments went on red alert for rain-floods on Wednesday, September 30, announced Météo-France, which forecast an “exceptional” Mediterranean episode. Schools were closed in Gard, where heavy rain fell mid-morning in the north of the department, notably Alès. For its part, the Hérault prefecture has closed schools located in eight sectors and recommends that parents “keep children at home”. Follow our live stream.

Three other departments on orange alert. Lozère and Ardèche remain on orange “rain-flood” and “storms” alert. Bouches-du-Rhône also goes into orange “rain-flood” vigilance from midday.

Significant rainfall accumulations. Météo-France predicts "storms and heavy accumulations of rain first in the Cévennes then extending to the plains, allowing us to speak of a remarkable, even exceptional, Mediterranean episode in the Gard and Hérault". The meteorological institute forecasts on the relief and the Cévennes Piedmont "50 to 80 mm of rain possible in one hour" and accumulations of around "200-250 mm, even locally 350 mm". The bad weather will then shift to the plains at the end of the morning, where “60-100 mm of rain in one hour can be observed”.

Trains at a standstill. This meteorological episode imposes "a total interruption" of rail traffic on Wednesday "on the Nîmes Alès La Bastide Marvejols Clermont-Ferrand axis", SNCF announced overnight on its website, adding that replacement coaches will be put in place.

It's noon, here's a new update on the news:

• #WEATHER Gard and Hérault are on red "rain-flood" alert due to a "very marked Mediterranean episode", according to Météo-France. Authorities are calling on residents to avoid traveling as the rains will continue until at least this evening.

• #BARDELLA RN officials continue to stand together to defend Jordan Bardella, to whom Mediapart attributes anti-Semitic writings. The investigative site denounced the “staggering violence” of the RN and “the very serious threatening remarks” of Marine Le Pen.

• #HIGH SCHOOLS The Minister of National Education was concerned about violence during high school blockades, while speaking of “legitimate” demands. Several high schools are blocked again today throughout France.

• #BUDGET “Reality is catching up with us”, warned Sébastien Lecornu before the presentation of the 2027 budget, referring to interest rates for the debt at “4.8% at 10 years”.

#WEATHER The prefect of Gard takes stock of the bad weather in the department. “I very solemnly call on people to respect the safety instructions,” declares Fabienne Decottignies, who asks residents to stay at home. “The episode is in progress, there will be additional precipitation and we must say that the phenomenon is ahead of us.”

The prefect also explained that a person stuck in his car had been rescued by the firefighters.

#WEATHER “High intensity stormy precipitation will continue over the next few hours, potentially taking on a stationary character,” writes the Hérault prefecture in its latest situation update. 200mm has already fallen in 24 hours, with up to 300mm more expected by midnight. A 16-year-old woman was slightly injured by lightning, the prefecture also reports.

#WEATHER Train traffic on the Marseille-Avignon-Sète and Nîmes-Le Grau-du-Roi routes will be interrupted from 11:30 a.m. due to bad weather, Gard Lozère tells us HERE, who is following the situation live on his website and radio.

#WEATHER On Bluesky, the vice-president of the Infoclimat site relays the work of a member of this specialized site who documents the ongoing floods in Gard and Hérault. Heavy rains continue to fall in these two departments, where populations are urged to be very careful.

It's 9 a.m., here's a new update on the news:

• #WEATHER Gard and Hérault are on red "rain-flood" alert due to a "very marked Mediterranean episode", according to Météo-France. The authorities are calling on residents to avoid traveling.

• Inflation, driven by the rise in prices of energy and fresh produce, rose to 3% year-on-year in September, announces INSEE.

• #BARDELLA RN officials continue to stand together to defend Jordan Bardella, to whom Mediapart attributes anti-Semitic writings. The investigative site denounced the “staggering violence” of the RN and “the very serious threatening remarks” of Marine Le Pen.

#LYCEES New high schools are affected by blockages in France. The Minister of National Education, Edouard Geffray, said he was worried about the use of violence during these blockages, while emphasizing that certain students' demands were "legitimate".

#WEATHER “This is the first episode we have after 4 to 5 months of drought and heatwave, so vigilance is very important,” warns the prefect of Hérault, Chantal Mauchet, on ICI Hérault. She also calls on the population to cancel and postpone their trips as the department faces intense rain.

#WEATHER Here is today's weather forecast. The weather will be cloudy, and rainy in places. In terms of temperatures, it will still be very mild with 20°C in Dieppe, 24°C maximum in Nice and up to 28°C in Strasbourg. You can find the forecasts in your city right here.