AKIPRESS.COM - At least six people have been killed by flash floods in the Aude region of south-western France, BBC reports.

Local authorities say several months' worth of rain fell in just a few hours overnight, leaving roads blocked in some areas.

One woman was swept away by the River Aude, local broadcaster BFMTV reports.

Alain Thirion, the prefect of Aude, said people were stranded on rooftops and would have to be evacuated by air because it was too dangerous by boat.

One person was injured, he added, when a house collapsed in the locality of Cuxac.

Residents have been urged to stay inside their homes by emergency services and local authorities, who have issued a red alert.

The floods are the worst the Aude river has seen in more than 100 years, according to the weather monitoring service Vigicrues.