At least 17 people have died and four people are still missing following the flash floods which hit the French Riviera on Saturday evening, according to the latest news reports.

in The Alpes-Maritimes region of south-eastern France rains of saw violent storms and heavy rain of exceptional intensity - the city of Nice is estimated to have received 10% of its average yearly rainfall in two days alone. Three people died and a further four are still missing in Cannes, which saw 195mm of rain fall in 24 hours.

Infrastructure and buildings have suffered significant damage - the French Government has declared the event as a natural disaster, a key trigger for the payment of compensation, which President Hollande said will be paid within three months.

According to Government spokesman Stephane Le Foll, meteorologists had not “measured that the thunderstorms would be static"