France 2 TV report in French here
http://www.france2.fr/semiStatic/61-NIL-NIL-281310.html

20 departments in the south are on "orange" alert for severe weather until
Thursday. Near the Mediterranean coast rainfall totals of 200 to 400 mm
are possible with winds up to 130 to 150 km/hr.

Up to 200 mm rain has fallen since Monday in the Rhone Valley and between
Marseille and Cassis (just east of Marseille). Lyon has had 100 mm in 24
hours - a record in the last half-century.

Orange is almost cut off by floods - the only access is the A7 motorway.
15 000 telephone lines were out of action on Tuesday evening following
thunderstorms. Around 5 700 people have been evacuated in various places
affected or threatened by flooding.

Rainfall in 24 hours to 18z on Tuesday - Le Puy 53 mm, Lyon 59 mm,
Marseille 68 mm, Montélimar 130 mm; in 48 hours to 18z on Tuesday - Lyon
75 mm, Marseille 81 mm, Le Puy 93 mm, Montélimar 182 mm.

Colin Youngs
Brussels