French death toll from floods rises to 22

The death toll in flash floods in the hills above the French Riviera rose to 22 yesterday as new thunderstorms threatened the region and disrupted cleanup efforts.

The flooding that began on Tuesday swept away trees and parts of houses in the hills behind a portion of the Riviera, leaving cars stacked on top of each other in mud-clogged streets.

More than 1,400 people were evacuated by helicopter after the initial rains, including those who were taken out of a flooded nursing home in Draguignan early yesterday, the regional administration said.