"The south-western Pyrénées-Orientales département has seen very heavy rain in the days after Christmas, leading to road closures and usually fordable rivers becoming impassable. The warning from local mayor Jean-Charles Moriconi comes after two motorists were swept away and died in separate incidents around the village of Pollestres, not far from Perpignan. On Christmas Day and December 26th, national forecaster Météo France recorded between 70 and 100mm of rain, with peaks of 120/130 mm between the Albères mountains and Perpignan."
"Elsewhere two people had to be pulled from their cars by the fire brigade in separate incidents in the neighbouring Hérault. Another driver was able to make her way to safety after her car became stuck in a usually fordable river. Roads and ford crossing points across the Pyrénées-Orientales were closed by the préfecture because of the flood waters - but numerous drivers ignored the safety messages."
""There are still many reckless drivers who ignore the road closure signs," mayor of Pollestres Jean-Charles Moriconi told Le Parisien. "They are putting themselves in serious danger.""
Heavy rainfall in Pyrénées-Orientales after Christmas caused roads and usually fordable rivers to become impassable, with 70–100mm recorded and peaks of 120–130mm in parts. Two motorists were swept away and died near Pollestres after attempting to cross flooded fords. Fire brigades rescued two people from cars in neighbouring Hérault, and another driver escaped after becoming stuck in a fordable river. The préfecture closed roads and ford crossings because of flood waters, but numerous motorists ignored closure notices. Mayor Jean-Charles Moriconi and staff urged drivers not to use five closed fords and warned of serious danger.
Read at The Local France
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