Hundreds of pilgrims evacuated as floods swamp Lourdes
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A guardian of Lourdes sanctuary looks the Grotto of Lourdes flooded, in Lourdes, southwestern France, Saturday, Oct 20,2012. Floods caused by days of non-stop rain in south-west France forced the closing of most of the Catholic sanctuary of Lourdes on Saturday and the evacuation of more than 450 pilgrims, local authorities said. -- PHOTO: AP
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A rescuer carries a man on his back as the Gave de Pau, the river passing through Lourdes, southwestern France, flooded part of the city, on Oct 20, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Rescuers evacuate people in a boat on a flooded street of Lourdes, on Oct 20, 2012, as part of the operations to evacuate pilgrims from hotels threatened by floodwaters from a rain-swollen river. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Rescuers evacuate people from a flooded street of Lourdes, on Oct 20, 2012, as part of the operations to evacuate pilgrims from hotels threatened by floodwaters from a rain-swollen river. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Rescuers evacuate people from a hotel in a flooded street of Lourdes, on Oct 20, 2012, as part of the operations to evacuate pilgrims from hotels threatened by floodwaters from a rain-swollen river. -- PHOTO: AFP
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People looks through the window of an hotel Picture of a flooded street of Lourdes taken, on Oct 20, 2012, as operations are ongoing to evacuate pilgrims from hotels threatened by floodwaters from a rain-swollen river. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Rescuers prepare their boat in a flooded street of Lourdes, on Oct 20, 2012, on their way to evacuate pilgrims from hotels threatened by floodwaters from a rain-swollen river. -- PHOTO: AFP
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People walk on a bridge above a rain-swollen river, on Oct 20, 2012 in Lourdes. Regional government spokesman Anatole Puiseux said about 500 people were being evacuated from riverside hotels, and more rain was forecast for later. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Picture of a flooded street of Lourdes taken on Oct 20, 2012, as operations are ongoing to evacuate pilgrims from hotels threatened by floodwaters from a rain-swollen river. -- PHOTO: AFP
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The Gave de Pau, the river passing through Lourdes, south-western France, floods parts of the city in front of the Basilica, on Oct 20, 2012. It has been raining in Lourdes since Oct 18 and hundreds of pilgrims were evacuated. -- PHOTO: AFP
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View of the Grotto of Lourdes flooded, in Lourdes, south-western France, Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012. French rescue services and police are evacuating hundreds of pilgrims from hotels threatened by floodwaters from a rain-swollen river in the Roman Catholic shrine town of Lourdes. -- PHOTO: AP
A guardian of Lourdes sanctuary looks the Grotto of Lourdes flooded, in Lourdes, southwestern France, Saturday, Oct 20,2012. Floods caused by days of non-stop rain in south-west France forced the closing of most of the Catholic sanctuary of Lourdes on Saturday and the evacuation of more than 450 pilgrims, local authorities said. -- PHOTO: AP
A rescuer carries a man on his back as the Gave de Pau, the river passing through Lourdes, southwestern France, flooded part of the city, on Oct 20, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
Rescuers evacuate people in a boat on a flooded street of Lourdes, on Oct 20, 2012, as part of the operations to evacuate pilgrims from hotels threatened by floodwaters from a rain-swollen river. -- PHOTO: AFP
Rescuers evacuate people from a flooded street of Lourdes, on Oct 20, 2012, as part of the operations to evacuate pilgrims from hotels threatened by floodwaters from a rain-swollen river. -- PHOTO: AFP
Rescuers evacuate people from a hotel in a flooded street of Lourdes, on Oct 20, 2012, as part of the operations to evacuate pilgrims from hotels threatened by floodwaters from a rain-swollen river. -- PHOTO: AFP
People looks through the window of an hotel Picture of a flooded street of Lourdes taken, on Oct 20, 2012, as operations are ongoing to evacuate pilgrims from hotels threatened by floodwaters from a rain-swollen river. -- PHOTO: AFP
Rescuers prepare their boat in a flooded street of Lourdes, on Oct 20, 2012, on their way to evacuate pilgrims from hotels threatened by floodwaters from a rain-swollen river. -- PHOTO: AFP
People walk on a bridge above a rain-swollen river, on Oct 20, 2012 in Lourdes. Regional government spokesman Anatole Puiseux said about 500 people were being evacuated from riverside hotels, and more rain was forecast for later. -- PHOTO: AFP
Picture of a flooded street of Lourdes taken on Oct 20, 2012, as operations are ongoing to evacuate pilgrims from hotels threatened by floodwaters from a rain-swollen river. -- PHOTO: AFP
The Gave de Pau, the river passing through Lourdes, south-western France, floods parts of the city in front of the Basilica, on Oct 20, 2012. It has been raining in Lourdes since Oct 18 and hundreds of pilgrims were evacuated. -- PHOTO: AFP
View of the Grotto of Lourdes flooded, in Lourdes, south-western France, Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012. French rescue services and police are evacuating hundreds of pilgrims from hotels threatened by floodwaters from a rain-swollen river in the Roman Catholic shrine town of Lourdes. -- PHOTO: AP
LOURDES, France (AFP) - Floods caused by days of non-stop rain in south-west France forced the closing of most of the Catholic sanctuary of Lourdes on Saturday and the evacuation of more than 450 pilgrims, local authorities said.
Buses ferried guests from all the hotels in the lower town to a conference centre and a sports complex as officials said the sites visited by millions annually would stay closed for several days.
Two campsites were also evacuated and several roads closed around Lourdes, where Catholics believe the Virgin Mary appeared to peasant girl Bernadette Soubirous in a grotto in 1858, as the river Gave de Pau burst its banks.
The water was around 1m deep in front of the grotto and 0.8m in the avenue du Paradis, where most of the hotels for pilgrims are located, after what officials said was the worst flooding in 25 years.
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