Record Flooding Along the Garonne River Prompts Widespread Evacuations

Severe flooding caused by Storm Nils along the Garonne River in southwestern France has reached record-breaking levels, leading to extensive evacuations and significant community impacts. On February 14, several villages along the river were completely isolated due to rising waters that submerged dikes and closed bridges, forcing hundreds of residents to evacuate as the situation worsened.

In La Réole, Gironde, Déborah Barnetche evacuated her home with her four children amid rising floodwaters, while her husband remained behind unable to leave. The Garonne's water level at La Réole climbed to 9.60 meters, with predictions of it rising further to 9.80 meters that night. Other measurement points recorded critical highs: 9.56 meters at Tonneins and 10.20 meters at Marmande, surpassing the major flood levels of 2021. Mayor Bruno Marty warned residents of ongoing risks and urged evacuations to protect vulnerable neighborhoods.

Vigicrues, the French flood monitoring agency, described the crisis as a "generalized flood exceeding records" due to months of heavy precipitation that saturated soils nationwide, leaving little absorption capacity. Lucie Chadourne-Facon, Vigicrues director, indicated that no return to normal is expected soon, as soils are saturated across France from Brittany to the Mediterranean and Corsica. Rivers are responding rapidly to even minor new rains, sustaining and potentially worsening flood conditions.

This prolonged flooding is compounded by fresh rainfall expected in the coming days, with some areas receiving over 250 mm of rain recently. The severe hydrological situation comes alongside other weather alerts, including orange warnings for snow and ice in northern France. Authorities continue to monitor the Garonne and its tributaries closely as they brace for further rises in water levels.

Residents along the Garonne face an uncertain situation as emergency services coordinate evacuations and preparedness. The flooding represents an unprecedented challenge due to both the scale of the storm and cumulative weather conditions over recent weeks.