VIDAUBAN, France, Oct 27, V7N- Saint Tropez, the luxurious French resort known for its celebrity connections, faced severe flooding on Saturday as torrential rains inundated the area, closing roads and disrupting train lines throughout southern France. Firefighters were called out over ten times to assist residents trapped in homes and vehicles as water levels rose in the Var region, which includes the famed town.
 
The usually vibrant port area, bustling with fashion-conscious visitors on a Saturday night, saw floodwaters lapping at shopfronts, forcing restaurant managers and shop owners to use mops in a frantic effort to push water out of their establishments. Authorities responded by blocking off certain roads to ensure public safety.
 
The Saint Tropez region was particularly hard hit, with nearby Muy seeing shopkeeper Patrick Gaillard erect a makeshift dyke to safeguard his business from the rising waters. "It's quite onerous, but it's necessary so we don't have water in the shop," he explained.
 
In a dramatic rescue operation, a father and his 11-year-old daughter were airlifted from their mobile home in Roquebrune-sur-Argens, and two others were saved from the roof of their stranded vehicle. Additionally, in the Gard department, a hunter required rescue along with his five dogs from a small island in the Gardon River.
 
As the severe weather continued, some roads remained closed, and regional train services linking Gard and Lozere were suspended for the weekend following a train derailment on Friday evening due to a landslide. The heavy rains have caused significant disruptions and concerns for local residents and businesses in the affected areas.
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