Severe flooding across southwestern France has inundated homes and disrupted power to hundreds of thousands of residents following the passage of Storm Nils, with the Garonne River reaching critical levels. As of Sunday, approximately 22,000 homes in the Gironde department remained without electricity, down from a peak of 36,000 on Saturday morning, according to authorities.
The town of La Réole is among the hardest hit, with around 1,000 people currently affected by floodwaters. At least 80 residents have been evacuated to emergency shelters with the assistance of local mayors, firefighters, and gendarmes, who have activated communal safeguard plans. The Garonne River remains at red alert status, and the entire department is under a yellow warning for rainfall through Monday.
Vincent Gorse, a town councillor in La Réole, stated that vigilance is being increased due to the uncertain outlook over the next 48 hours as the River Garonne continues to rise. The storm, described by French forecasters as “unusually strong,” caused widespread disruption, including flight, train, and ferry cancellations in southern France, northern Spain, and parts of Portugal.
Tragically, Storm Nils has claimed at least three lives in France, and Spain. In France, a lorry driver died near Dax when a tree branch fell on his vehicle, and a man was found dead in his garden in Tarn-et-Garonne. A man also died after falling from a ladder in his garden on Friday. In Spain, a woman died when the roof of an industrial warehouse collapsed.
The French electricity network operator, Enedis, has mobilized 3,000 personnel, including 2,100 technicians, to restore power. However, repairs are being complicated by flooded fields and blocked roads. Approximately 49,000 people are also without mobile phone service, and 20,000 have lost landline connectivity.
The French government has deployed 25 military personnel, with the possibility of additional reinforcements if needed. A particular focus is being placed on the estuary and the Médoc region for the coming week. The peak of the Garonne River is expected at Cadillac in the night of Sunday to Monday, around 2:00 AM.
Authorities are continuing to monitor the situation and work to restore essential services, but the extent of the damage and the ongoing risk of flooding present significant challenges. The prefecture noted that the saturated ground and continuing rainfall are hindering repair efforts, with several communes still relying on generator power.
