Flash flood submerges southern French villages, fields

PARIS (AP) — Emergency workers have rescued or evacuated hundreds of people in southern France as flash flooding abruptly turned roads and fields into rivers and lakes. The regional emergency service said rescuers were searching for at least one person reported missing in flooding Tuesday evening. No casualties have been reported. But local authorities said the rains caused significant damage to homes and infrastructure across towns and villages between Nimes and Montpellier. A regional emergency service said one person was struck by lightning but survived and a supermarket roof collapsed under the pounding water. New heavy rainfall threatened the area Wednesday.