A 17-year-old boy is missing after a severe storm

A “cataclysmic” storm hit Beauvais in northern France overnight on Tuesday night, ignoring the fate of a 17-year-old who was swept away by a river.

“We are afraid of the worst,” said Interior Minister Geral Darmanen, who rushed to the area and monitored the search for his whereabouts.

The teenager fell “suddenly” into the Teren River, a tributary of the Oise River that crosses the city, as he did not realize he was no longer walking on the sidewalk, which was covered by water, explained Beauvais prosecutor Carolyn Tarot.

The 17-year-old lives at a distance of 5 kilometers from the city. On Monday morning he took an oral exam for his high school diploma and then went to celebrate with his friends. Footage from security cameras shows a group of young people sitting on the river bank, with their feet in the water, around 23.00 in the evening. About 15 minutes later, another camera “caught” five young children running and the 17-year-old getting lost in the water.

“Two young men immediately entered the river trying to pull him out, but in vain,” the prosecutor added.

The research involves 18 divers, unmanned aircraft with thermal cameras and specially trained dogs.

The night storm also caused severe damage in the area. In total, the fire department received 2,200 calls and intervened in 845 cases. Within a few hours, 41 millimeters of water fell, of which 16 millimeters within 10 minutes.

The city hospital was flooded, causing a false ceiling to collapse. Emergencies are temporarily relocated to another city.

The storm also affected neighboring areas and the city, such as downtown Rennes and southern Esn, in Campania. Parks and gardens will remain closed until Friday. The wine growers’ union has already started assessing the damage to the vineyards.