Search operations, interrupted last night, resumed this Thursday morning.
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THIERRY ZOCCOLAN / AFP
Three people, including a girl, are missing in Petit-Bourg and Capesterre-Belle-Eau, in Guadeloupe after a "sudden rise in water levels in the river," said the prefecture on Wednesday evening.
The three missing are a 70-year-old man, a 5-year-old girl, and a 45-year-old Finnish woman, the gendarmerie said on Thursday.
No weather alert triggered
Rescue was deployed on Wednesday afternoon when "a heavy rainy episode located in Basse-Terre caused a sudden rise in water levels in the areas of Duquerry and the Lézarde jump in Petit-Bourg, the Saut d'Acomat. in Pointe-Noire, from Grand-Rivière Vieux-Habitants and from the Carbet waterfalls to Capesterre-Belle-Eau ”, communes in Basse-Terre, which put hikers and walkers in difficulty, according to the Guadeloupe prefecture.
The search was suspended at nightfall, it must resume at dawn Thursday.
No particular weather alert or vigilance had been triggered in Guadeloupe on Wednesday.
Three people hoisted
The three people reported missing Wednesday evening "were obviously swept away in the water because they had left the walking path," prefect Alexandre Rochatte told RCI Guadeloupe.
In addition, "25 people in difficulty were brought to safety, including 3 by helicopter", according to a press release from the prefecture.
A psychological unit has been set up to take care of families and accompanying persons of missing persons and the prefect has activated the departmental operational center.
The rescue operations mobilized "several dozen responders", firefighters, gendarmes and civil security helicopter, according to the same source.
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