Seven dead after violent storms cause flooding in Switzerland, France and Italy
At least seven people were killed by violent storms and heavy rains that swept France, Switzerland, and Italy over the weekend.
The storms brought torrential rain, causing landslides and dramatic flooding across the region.
In France, three elderly people lost their lives in the Aube region on Saturday when a tree fell on their car during intense winds, local authorities said. A fourth passenger was in critical condition.
In Switzerland, three people were killed by a landslide in the southeastern canton of Ticino while another man was found dead in a hotel in Saas-Grund in the southwestern Valais region, likely caught off guard by a sudden flood.
One person in Valais was missing as rescue workers continued their search.
The aftermath of a landslide in Valais canton of Switzerland (EPA)
Civil security services said they had evacuated “several hundred” people in Valais and closed some roads due to overflowing rivers.
Emergency teams were also working to evacuate 300 football tournament participants from Peccia and nearly 70 campers from Mogno.
Some areas in Valais were without electricity and drinking water while roads were closed after the Rhone and its tributaries overflowed in several locations.
In Italy, the northern Aosta Valley saw dramatic flooding after several rivers swelled up.
Greece and Turkey, meanwhile, were grappling with wildfires amid searing temperatures.
Authorities in Athens sent emergency messages for some residents to evacuate and others to stay home and close their windows to protect themselves from smoke.
Some residents and holidaymakers were evacuated in the Turkish district of Izmir as well.
Wildfires have been increasing in intensity in the Mediterranean in recent years.
High temperatures caused by burning coal, oil and gas have been making disasters such as storms and wildfires worse, scientific assessments have found.
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