PARIS, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- France's national weather center Meteo France on Saturday placed Var and Alpes-Maritimes, two departments in the southeast of the country, on red alert, the top warning level, to rain and floods.
The warning will be in place till Sunday afternoon as rainfall is set to intensify in "the coming hours" in the two departments where a significant rise in water level is expected.
"Floods on the east of Var and the west of the Alpes-Maritimes will continue to worsen. Very strong rainfall is likely to affect people's activities and economic life for several days," Meteo France warned.
French authorities had ordered the evacuation of more than 250 inhabitants in Var where between 150 and 200 millimeters of water had fallen since Friday. In Alpes-Maritimes, Meteo France forecast heavy downpours from Saturday night to Sunday morning, with increasing risk of avalanche.
A 77-year-old man was reported missing in Saint-Autonin-du-Var following the intense rainfall. Search operation is underway, Var prefecture said in a statement.
Regional authorities have asked residents to be highly vigilant and take appropriate precautions.
Some 1,100 rescuers, 110 gendarmes as well as 4 helicopters have been deployed to ensure rescue operations in the affected areas.
In 2018, floods hit France's southern department of Aude, leaving 13 dead.
