Europe 1 with AFP
A couple in their 70s drowned in their car on Sunday in New Caledonia after the vehicle was swept away by floods. The island is currently affected by exceptional rainfall, due to the La Niña climatic phenomenon.
A couple in their 70s drowned in New Caledonia after their car was swept away by floods, firefighters said. The facts occurred Sunday at the beginning of the afternoon at the level of a slab in Païta, on the outskirts of Nouméa, after violent storms. “The lady called the gendarmerie to warn that their car had been swept away and then we got in touch with her but she could not locate her precise location,” said Damien Chapuis, firefighter in Païta.
An exceptional rain event
The victim had however indicated that they were leaving a known restaurant in the area, which enabled the emergency services to identify the location of the slab. The vehicle was located below as the water level dropped, but its two occupants were found drowned in the passenger compartment. “The water must have risen very suddenly, perhaps after a plug of water descended from the chain (of mountains)”, also indicated Damien Chapuis.
He renewed the instructions for caution as New Caledonia is affected by exceptional rainfall, due to the La Niña climatic phenomenon (abnormally low temperature of equatorial waters). In December, in Voh (north), a 3-year-old girl died in similar circumstances.