Storm Nils: River Banks Burst in Aiguillon – People Evacuated

Storm Nils: River Banks Burst in Aiguillon, Hundreds Evacuated

Southwest France is facing chaos as Storm Nils unleashes torrential rain and fierce winds across the region. In Aiguillon, Lot‑et‑Garonne, the river banks of the Garonne gave way early Saturday, sending walls of floodwater surging through fields, roads, and homes — a disaster local officials call “without precedent.”

Aiguillon Submerged as Waters Surge

Perched where the Lot meets the Garonne River, Aiguillon has endured devastating floods before — but rarely on this scale. With the Garonne swelling beyond 10 metres near Marmande, emergency crews have been stretched thin responding to calls for help.

Authorities report that:

Nearly 900 people have been evacuated across 20 nearby communes.
Heavy flooding followed the bursting of the river banks near La Confluence.
Dozens of families have been relocated to temporary emergency shelters.

Mayor Christian Girardi described a dramatic overnight scene: “The river rose faster than we’ve ever seen. Within minutes, water was everywhere.”

Locals Caught Off Guard

Despite official warnings, many residents initially chose to stay home — only to face a terrifying wake‑up call when water poured into their properties.

A local resident, Léa, told TF1: “When we woke up, the mobile home was almost underwater. We barely had time to escape.”

Community centres and schools across the area are now hosting families forced to leave their homes. Rescue teams continue to operate boats and high‑clearance vehicles to reach those still stranded.

Record Flooding and Widespread Power Cuts

Lucie Chadourne‑Facon, head of Vigicrues, France’s national flood monitoring service, warned that the crisis is far from over: “This is a widespread flood event, with soil saturation at a level never recorded since 1959.”

The storm’s wider impact is severe:

Two deaths have been confirmed across France.
At the storm’s height, around 900,000 homes lost electricity.
In Lot‑et‑Garonne, 70,000 households faced power outages.

Officials Warn: Flood Threat Still Rising

Météo‑France and local authorities have maintained a red alert (vigilance rouge) for flooding in both Lot‑et‑Garonne and Gironde. Additional rainfall expected over the weekend could cause further breaches along the river systems.

Residents are urged to:

Stay informed via official alerts and local updates.
Avoid riversides, footpaths, and submerged roads.
Keep vital documents and emergency supplies ready in case of evacuation.

Climate Pressures Behind Growing Flood Risk

The devastation in Aiguillon highlights a troubling trend — France’s increasing exposure to extreme weather. Storm Nils is the latest in a series of violent weather events this winter, underscoring the urgent need for stronger flood defences and long‑term climate adaptation.

As rescue operations continue, southwestern France braces for more rainfall and uncertainty — a sobering reminder of nature’s power and our growing vulnerability in an age of climate extremes.