Lifeless body found in search for missing Belgian (62) who was swept away by water after severe weather in France | Abroad

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A Belgian motorist was reported missing on Saturday evening in Gagnières, in the south of France. The 62-year-old man was washed away while trying to cross a bridge around 7:45 p.m. However, the road was closed and a police officer had asked the driver not to drive over the bridge.

A passenger of the man – his 42-year-old son-in-law, also a Belgian – got out of the car and took refuge in a tree. The man was brought to safety by rescuers after more than two hours. Both Belgians have lived in Gagnières for twelve years, the prefecture told the French news agency AFP.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms that it has been informed by local authorities that two Belgians have been affected. “The first person was taken to hospital. The second is still missing,” a spokesperson said. The Consulate General in Marseille is closely monitoring the situation, in collaboration with local authorities.

In Goudargues, a few dozen kilometers away, two women were also washed away in their car, French media report. This morning at just after 5 o’clock they called the emergency services to say they were in trouble, but then contact was lost. These are two women aged 47 and 50 who were traveling to Spain. Divers have been looking for them since this morning, but they have not yet been found.

There was also talk in local media that the two women had Belgian nationality. But that is not correct, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “Local authorities have confirmed to the Consulate General of Belgium in Marseille that the incidents that occurred in Goudargues do not involve Belgian nationals.”

A family of four, including two children aged 4 and 13, were also surprised by the water when they wanted to cross a bridge over the Gardon in Dions, north of Nîmes. They were able to notify the emergency services after driving onto the bridge, but their car was swept away by the water. The father and children are missing, the mother was found by rescuers and taken to hospital.

And a man has also been missing in the Ardèche since Saturday. It concerns the person in charge of a hydroelectric power station who had left to check the installation.

Code orange has been declared in ten departments in France due to very heavy rainfall. That is the second highest alert level. The public is being urged to be “very vigilant”, stay at home as much as possible and avoid going near watercourses.

Monica also caused problems in Spain. For example, the province of Granada in Andalusia was ravaged by wind and heavy rainfall.