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A red weather warning - the highest level - has been issued for eastern France after torrential rain and flash flooding hit several towns.

The département of Moselle - along the border with Germany and Luxembourg - has been placed under the highest level of weather alert for flooding.

The alert was issued after 66mm of rain fell in a single morning, causing flooding in several towns that swept away cars and inundated houses.

At 1pm, local emergency crews said they were responding to more than 1,000 calls from 177 different towns and villages and had carried out 400 rescue operations.



The towns of Boulay, Saint-Avold, Sarreguemines and Bouzonville were worst hit, with videos showing flooded streets and homes and cars swept away by the torrents of water.

The départements of Bas-Rhin, Vosges and Meurthe-et-Moselle are on orange alert for rain and flooding, and the alert continues into Saturday.