German man drowns in Corsica

Raging torrent claims father of two

Author Image

Louise Liebenberg

CLOSE CALL: Small fishing boats that were rescued and pulled ashore lie near the coast ahead of Hurricane Melissa, in Port Royal, Jamaica, yesterday (Gilbert Bellamy)

A 45-year-old German man has died in Corsica after he was washed away by rapidly rising water in a storm, the island’s authorities said on Thursday.

The man was bathing in the river Fango near the town of Galeria with his wife and two daughters on Thursday afternoon when a torrent of water came down from nearby mountains during a storm and washed them away, Corsica Prefect Michel Prosic said on BFM television.

The entire island is on orange weather alert, with wind gusts of up to 170 km (106 miles) per hour expected on Thursday night and Friday. The prefect said that ships have been ordered to remain at quay island-wide and that 90% of all flights have been cancelled.

Storm Benjamin is causing heavy rain and wind gusts of up to 80 km per hour along France’s Channel coast and the Atlantic coast, the Meteo France weather service said. Orange weather alerts have been issued for several regions on Friday, including parts of Corsica, northern France and the Channel coast and the Mediterranean coast. -- Reuters

Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Comment icon