France Weather: Orange Alert Remains in Effect for Corsica Following Severe Floods and Landslides

In its bulletin released on Friday morning, November 6, the French meteorological service (Météo-France) announced that an orange vigilance alert for "rain and flooding" risks remains in place for both departments of the island of Corsica until midday, despite a noticeable decrease in precipitation intensity compared to previous hours.

Traffic disruptions and evacuations

Météo-France explained that maintaining the alert level is warranted given that traffic conditions may remain complex and dangerous due to standing water and localized flooding across the road network, particularly along the axis connecting Bonifacio and Porto-Vecchio. In the Porto-Vecchio area, torrential downpours caused significant flooding and landslides, submerged several homes, and cut off major roads, forcing authorities and emergency rescue teams to carry out evacuations of affected residents, according to France 3 Corse ViaStella.

Record levels in a few hours

Corsica has experienced exceptional levels of precipitation since Wednesday afternoon, with meteorologists recording between 150 and 250 mm along the axis extending from Figari to southeast of Corte, reaching between 300 and 350 mm on some high ground. Rainfall totals reached 283 mm in Conca and 205 mm in La Chiappa near Porto-Vecchio—figures exceeding, in certain areas, twice the normal monthly average for November.

Heavy rain affects Gard and Hérault

These severe weather disruptions were not confined to the island of Corsica, but also extended to regions in southern France, where the Gard and Hérault departments were placed under an orange alert for the same reasons. The municipality of Cardet in Gard recorded 154 mm of rain, equivalent to a month and a half of precipitation, while Saint-Christol-lez-Alès saw 144 mm, matching an entire month's average.

In the Hérault department, rainfall reached 159 mm in Moules-et-Baucels and 158 mm in Générargues, while Prades-le-Lez recorded 142 mm since Wednesday—a cumulative amount equal to what typically falls over a month and a half, prompting officials to urge residents and motorists to exercise extreme caution and adhere to safety instructions.