BFF-01 Corsica flash flood kills 4 including girl

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Corsica flash flood kills 4 including girl

SOCCIA, France, Aug 2, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Four people including a seven-
year-old girl were killed Wednesday after being swept away by a flash flood
in a canyon on the French island of Corsica.

The dead included a father and his young daughter as well as their guide,
local prosecutor Eric Bouillard said. One of those killed was yet to be
identified.

A fifth person was still missing while two others belonging to the same
group — including the mother of the child who died — managed to escape, he
added.

Bouillard said a group of 12 people had been hiking along the Zoicu canyon
in the region of Soccia, famous for its natural ravines and waterfalls, when
some members were overwhelmed by a sudden rush of water.

“When the group got into difficulty, it first lost two people, then two
more,” he said. “This wave — we are talking about three metres (12 feet)
high — overwhelmed them and carried them away.

The search for one missing person was called off late Wednesday as
darkness fell in the region.

The flash flood is believed to have been caused by mountain storms, which
have unleashed heavy rain falls in recent days.

The Zoicu canyon is considered one of the most beautiful in Corsica but
parts of it are only accessible with specialised canyoning equipment.

BSS/AFP/FI/ 0744 hrs