Floods cause damage in Montpellier in southern France

For the third time in less than a month, the southern French town of Montpellier suffered major flooding on Monday night.

After the overnight flash floods in Grabels near Montpellier AFP Photo/Sylvain Thomas

About 300 people were winched to safety, mostly in the northern part of Montpellier where several square kilometres were flooded.

Cars were lifted sometimes several hundred metres and some were found in trees or smashed against walls.

By mid morning on Tuesday, around thirty roads were still blocked and the Mosson stadium in Montpellier had water reaching up to the fifth row of seats.

Elsewhere in the south of France there were storms but less damage. A residence in the Pradet area of Toulon was evacuated and thirty people were led to safety.