Storm Nils death toll in France climbs to 2 as officials warn danger not over

By Ilayda Cakirtekin

ISTANBUL (AA) – Storm Nils claimed its second victim in France early Friday, a government spokesperson said, warning that the danger is not yet over.

Maud Bregeon told broadcaster TF1 that a man in the southern Tarn-et-Garonne department died after apparently climbing onto a ladder in his garden in the morning.

The announcement brings the death toll to two after another man was killed Thursday in the Landes department, near the town of Mees, when a tree branch fell onto his truck.

"The storm is not behind us," Bregeon added.

As the storm moves toward the island of Corsica and the Alps, the flood risk remains high, with red alerts still in place Friday for the Gironde and Lot-et-Garonne departments, extended through Saturday by France’s weather service Meteo-France, according to broadcaster BFMTV.

Four departments in the Alps are also under orange (considerable danger) avalanche warnings for Friday.

Meanwhile, 450,000 homes still remained without power in the early hours, after 900,000 households were left without electricity a day earlier.