Keyword: southern France

One of the bigest wildfires in France this summer, which began on Wednesday in the southern Aude département (county) mobilising more than 500 firefighters, was finally contained on Friday after the destruction of about 900 hectares of mostly pine forest.

Repairs and cleaning operations began Monday after weekend storms across a swathe of S. France damaged roads, flooded streets and swept cars away.

The five Russian citizens are reportedly connected to organised crime and are not believed to have been planning a terrorist operation.

The flooding is considered more serious than the deadly overflows seen in 1999, amid violent storms that have swept the region for many days.

Days of heavy rainfall followed by violent storms have caused flash flooding, with the southern Var département (county) hit worst.

The victims include a mother and child who died after their car was swept off a bridge amid flash flooding caused by exceptional rainfall.

The pair, aged in their 70s, were barricaded in their home in the Pyrenees foothills by their neighbours, also British, over a right of way dispute.

Intense rainfall over SE France, which created powerful waves of water,  has also left 4,000 homes without power with more downpours forecast.

A Ukranian passenger of a coach that crashed in southern France leaving two dead has admitted grabbing the wheel during an argument with the driver.

Seven men drowned over the weekend off six different beaches on France's Mediterranean coast amid high winds and strong currents.