Brutal storms with winds gusting up to kilometres per hour miles per hour left five people dead on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica early Thursday, including a year-old girl who was killed when a tree fell onto her campground bungalow, authorities said. It was the third day of intense rains across much of southern France that had produced flash floods and lightning, but left no casualties until now.
The girl was killed at a campground near Sagone, on the island's rugged western coast, where nine others were also injured, including one seriously, rescue workers told AFP. At a nearby beach in Coggia, a year-old woman died after the roof of a beachside hut was blown off and landed on the vehicle she was in, regional authorities said.
He had been planning to go scuba diving, but instead helped the passengers of a boat who were sleeping aboard when it was suddenly thrown onto the shore by the choppy waves. Further north near the resort of Calvi, a year-old Frenchman was also killed at a campground, and a year-old Italian woman suffered serious injuries while camping nearby. Maritime authorities later said a fisherman had died near Girolata, and a female kayaker near Erbalunga, north of Bastia. Maritime authorities reported 60 to 70 sea rescue operations, mainly along the western coast that bore the brunt of the overnight storm, which the Meteo France weather service said was now moving towards Italy.
Authorities had urged people to avoid travel and take other precautions after storm alerts were issued Wednesday for several Mediterranean departments, but also along the Normandy coast and near the southeast city of Lyon. Most read.
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