On Thursday 20 June, two departments, Mayenne and Maine-et-Loire, were placed on red alert due to the risk of flooding on the river Oudon, after having been placed on orange alert in the morning

Météo-France has also placed the departments of Ille-et-Vilaine, Mayenne, Sarthe, Loire-Atlantique and Maine-et-Loire under orange vigilance for the risk of thunderstorms and rain-flooding, with the start of the event forecast for 3pm.

According to Météo-France, a “deterioration in thunderstorm activity” is expected on Thursday afternoon in the departments under orange alert, with locally very heavy rainfall totals.

In addition, the Vigicrues website reports that heavy rainfall on Tuesday and Wednesday in the upper reaches of the Oudon basin caused the river to rise rapidly at the Cossé-le-Vivien station, as well as at the stations in Craon (Mayenne) and Segré (Maine-et-Loire), where peak flood levels have not yet been reached.

Météo-France is forecasting very heavy flooding in the Craon area over the next 24 hours.