Aerial shots show damage caused by severe weather in southeastern France

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Footage released by the French army shows helicopters taking off to rescue people in the hinterland of Nice after severe weather hit southeastern France and northern Italy. Torrential rain and flash floods battered the area, washing away roads and houses, cutting off entire villages and triggering landslides.

Businesses and local people in southeastern France are counting the cost of damage from Storm Alex, which led to major flooding in parts of the Alpes-Maritime region. The French government has pledged an initial fund of €100 million towards rebuilding efforts. The flooding damaged roads, bridges and buildings, cutting off access to some villages. Also today: we bring you the latest on talks between Democrats and Republicans over a rescue package for the US airline industry, after President Donald Trump called off negotiations over a wider stimulus plan.

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For various experts, Storm Alex, which ravaged south-eastern France in October 2020, was a "weather bomb". In the area north of the city of Nice, torrential rain burst the banks of rivers. Entire houses were swept away in the current, sometimes with their owners inside. The 2,000 inhabitants of the village of Tende – perched high in the Roya valley – were cut off from the rest of the world, with no running water or electricity for several weeks. Supplies had to be brought in by helicopter. Since then, access has been restored. But not everyone has been able to return. More than a year later, Storm Alex has left catastrophic scars.