Flash floods caused 1,600 people to evacuate urgently in France

Rescuers were mobilized to participate in rescue operations after flash floods threatened thousands of people in southern France.

The areas most severely affected by flash floods on August 9 were Gard, Ardèche and Drôme in southern France, according to the Guardian. These are three famous campsites that are loved by Europeans.

Floods forced 1,600 people, mainly those who went camping, had to evacuate. More than 400 firefighters and police officers and 4 helicopters were deployed in rescue operations. Local police spokesman Jerome Tallaron said 10 people were taken to hospital because of hypothermia and minor injuries.

A 75-year-old German man with a group of 100 children attending a summer camp in Saint-Julien-de-Peyrolas, in the Gard region, is missing. When caught in a rush of water, he took refuge inside his truck, but the car was then swept away by the floodwaters.

The camp was destroyed at Saint-Julien-de-Peyrolas campsite after the flood on August 9.(Photo: AFP).

When the flood came, Rachel Buchanan, the Englishman, was camping near a river in Ardèche."We know that thunderstorms are imminent but we can't believe how devastating this is. Water levels and the speed of rivers today are incredible, we wake up immediately, but the water is about 30 cm" . Rachel said.

Driving is very dangerous now because the road on the river is completely submerged by water and unknown waterfalls appear from where are falling into the canyons, she added.

The three most heavily affected areas (bold color) in the flooding yesterday in southern France.(Graphic: BBC).

Floods occurred after southern France and most of Europe experienced unusually hot weather lasting weeks. In a statement, the French Ministry of Home Affairs said the six regions were under flood warning.