Residents of south-eastern France were Thursday assessing the damage of the worst floods in more than 180 years after torrential rains sent torrents of water and mud rushing through cities and towns, according to dpa. At least 20 people, most of them elderly, died in the flooding, which the national weather service Meteo France called the worst to hit the region since 1827. In some areas, more than 400 millimetres of rain fell in less than 24 hours on Tuesday and Wednesday. All of the fatalities occurred in the region of Var, in particular the city of Draguignan, where more than two metres of water covered its streets. Authorities said that the death toll could still rise as some 2,000 rescue workers combed flooded neighbourhoods for victims. An estimated 100,000 people were without electricity early Thursday, and thousands remained without drinking water or telephones. President Nicolas Sarkozy said he would visit the region next week.
