Storm Pedro Batters Flood-Weary Western France as Death Toll Rises and Record Rain Streak Continues

Storm Pedro is sweeping across western France, bringing renewed weather warnings to regions still devastated by Storm Nils as the country marks a record-breaking streak of more than 35 consecutive days of rain.

Record-Breaking Rainfall

National weather service Météo-France confirmed that France is experiencing its longest series of rainy days since measurements began in 1959, breaking the previous record set in 2023. Four departments in western France remain under red alert for flooding risk.

"The new rainfall could fuel the current floods," warned Lucie Chadourne-Facon, director of flood alert service Vigicrues. "The end of the rain does not mean the end of the flooding."

Storm Pedro's Impact

The Atlantic disturbance is bringing gales of up to 140 km/h, coastal waves of up to nine meters, and significant additional rainfall. The strongest gusts are expected around Perpignan and the eastern Pyrénées, with persistent winds of 100 km/h or more forecast across the southwest.

The storm's arrival while France is still reeling from Storm Nils means no respite is in sight for the hardest-hit regions.

Rising Death Toll

The Minister for Ecological Transition announced that the death toll from weather conditions in recent days has risen to three. A person has been declared missing in Maine-et-Loire, which remains under red alert for river flooding.

In the western town of Chalonnes-sur-Loire, a man went missing after his canoe capsized in floodwaters on Tuesday evening.

Bordeaux Emergency

Mayor Pierre Hurmic has activated Bordeaux's emergency plan for the first time since record floods in 1999, underscoring the severity of the current crisis. More than 9,000 homes in the Dordogne remain without drinking water due to contamination concerns, with around 20 roads still closed due to flooding.

Infrastructure Strain

The Copernicus Emergency Management Service has been activated to provide rapid flood mapping. Satellite imagery from February 13 shows flooded areas around Bordeaux where the Garonne River overflowed, inundating roads and residential areas.

The combination of saturated soils, damaged dikes, and continued rainfall has created conditions that officials describe as unprecedented in recent memory.