Heavy rainfall historical in Chartres city

On August 20, 2020, the A11 highway in Eure-et-Loir, France, was flooded, causing significant disruption and trapping hundreds of motorists for a considerable period of time.

The water level on the A11 highway reached a staggering 80 centimeters, leaving motorists stranded and their vehicles submerged in water. Approximately 300 motorists found themselves trapped on the closed highway, with dozens more stranded on the flooded sections.

One motorist, Dominique Chevalier, shared his harrowing experience. He mentioned that he was given a good scare during the incident and could see himself having to push his car due to its weakened engine, which may have had its exhaust partly submerged in water. Fortunately, Mr. Chevalier managed to pass through the flooded A11 highway without incident.

Nearby, horses were panicked due to the flooding, adding to the chaos of the situation. The racetrack in Fontainebleau was completely flooded, further highlighting the extent of the flooding.

In Chartres, historical rains occurred, totaling more than two months of precipitation in just twelve hours. Sébastien Pezé, regional director of operations for Vinci Autoroutes, stated that 80 millimeters of water falling in an hour is a rare event, happening once every hundred years.

As of August 20th, five departments in the Grand Est and Franche-Comté regions were still under orange vigilance for rain-induced flooding, with the specific departments not specified in the provided search results. The A11 highway was closed near Chartres, Eure-et-Loir, due to the flooding.

This incident serves as a stark reminder of the power of nature and the importance of being prepared for unexpected weather events. Motorists are advised to exercise caution and follow safety guidelines when driving in adverse weather conditions.