19 January 2014
Last updated at 15:34 ET
The evacuation of residents by boat is continuing
One man died in his basement and another was swept away in his car while a third person was missing in a boat in the Var area.
Some 4,000 homes have been left without power, officials say.
Local official Laurent Cayrel told a news conference that there had been "record rainfall".
"The situation is very worrying, and it's not going to get any better tonight," he told reporters on Sunday, amid forecasts of further rainfall.
By Sunday evening, 155 people had been airlifted from the worst-hit areas and the evacuation of residents by boat was continuing.
One woman, who was evacuated by helicopter with her five-year-old daughter, said she had seen a huge wave wash her empty car away.
An orange alert was declared by the French authorities in response to the flooding
"It was really staggering," she said. "We had called the fire
brigade who told us to move the furniture upstairs... We had very little
time, the house flooded very quickly."
Some 100mm (4in) of rain has fallen in the Mediterranean resort of Nice since Thursday evening, compared with the average of 85mm for the entire month of January.
Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault is expected to travel to the flooded area on Monday morning.
France floods: Deaths as Var inundated
The evacuation of residents by boat is continuing
Two people have died and
more than 150 people have been airlifted to safety after floods hit
south-eastern France, local authorities say.
Some 4,000 homes have been left without power, officials say.
Local official Laurent Cayrel told a news conference that there had been "record rainfall".
"The situation is very worrying, and it's not going to get any better tonight," he told reporters on Sunday, amid forecasts of further rainfall.
By Sunday evening, 155 people had been airlifted from the worst-hit areas and the evacuation of residents by boat was continuing.
One woman, who was evacuated by helicopter with her five-year-old daughter, said she had seen a huge wave wash her empty car away.
An orange alert was declared by the French authorities in response to the floodingSome 100mm (4in) of rain has fallen in the Mediterranean resort of Nice since Thursday evening, compared with the average of 85mm for the entire month of January.
Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault is expected to travel to the flooded area on Monday morning.
From other news sites
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Yahoo! UK and Ireland Two dead, hundreds evacuated in flood-hit French Riviera 32 mins ago
-
Lebanon Daily Star One dead, hundreds evacuated in flood-hit France 4 hrs ago
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