Two Missing After River Flooding in Drôme Amid Orange Alert

On the morning of October 30, 2025, two people went missing after their vehicle was swept away by the swollen Eygues River in Nyons, located in the Drôme department of southeast France. Emergency services were alerted around 1 a.m. when a person called the gendarmerie to report their vehicle had left the road while they were inside along with their partner. Rescue teams, including divers, located the submerged vehicle but have not yet found the two missing individuals due to dangerous conditions caused by the flooding.

The Drôme and neighbouring Vaucluse regions are under a Météo France orange alert for flooding risks, a response to heavy rainfall on saturated ground that caused the river’s height to peak at 2.33 meters by 4 a.m. The alert warns of significant flood risk and potential road and rail disruptions continuing through Thursday and Friday. Firefighters have conducted 32 emergency interventions, mainly in Pierrelatte, as rescue operations remain active. Authorities expect water levels to begin receding by mid-morning, especially in Orange where the flood peak reached 400 cubic meters per second.

Five other departments, including Doubs, Jura, and Rhône, are under yellow flood alerts. The ongoing search is complicated by the hazardous river conditions, keeping the fate of the missing persons uncertain as emergency responders continue their efforts.