Storms Close Beaches in Marseille and Southern France
Listen to the story
Storms have hit the south of France, forcing officials to close several beaches to swimmers.
The beaches of Marseille were closed to bathing after the storms passed through the area.
This closure happened on Friday, according to local reports.
Several beaches in the Var department, near Marseille, were also closed for the same reason.
In addition, a town in the Alpes-Maritimes region closed all of its beaches on an emergency basis.
This means the town acted very quickly because of the dangerous weather.
Local authorities made these decisions to protect the safety of swimmers and visitors.
Storms can create dangerous conditions in the sea, such as strong waves and rip currents.
Bad weather can also bring lightning, which is very dangerous for people in open water.
It is not yet clear how long the beaches will remain closed.
The situation depends on how the weather develops over the coming days.
People are advised to check with local authorities before going to the beach.
This kind of closure is common in France during periods of extreme weather.
The south of France, including the Var and Alpes-Maritimes regions, is popular with tourists in summer.
Because of this, sudden beach closures can affect many visitors at once.
Officials are likely to reopen the beaches once conditions are considered safe again.
Vocabulary10 words
- storm
- very bad weather with strong wind and rain
- bathing
- swimming, especially in the sea or a pool
- emergency
- a sudden, serious situation that needs fast action
- local authorities
- the officials who manage a town or area
- conditions
- the state of something, like weather or the sea
- rip current
- a strong flow of water moving away from the beach
- lightning
- a bright flash of light during a storm
- department
- an official area in France, like a region
- closure
- when something stops being open or used
- tourist
- a person who travels for fun or holiday
Quiz
Answer key
1. Storms 2. Marseille, the Var, and a town in the Alpes-Maritimes 3. False
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
_____ have hit the south of France, forcing officials to close several beaches to swimmers.
The beaches of Marseille were closed to _____ after the storms passed through the area.
This closure happened on _____, according to local reports.
Several beaches in the Var _____, near Marseille, were also closed for the same reason.
In addition, a town in the Alpes-Maritimes region closed all of its beaches on an _____ basis.
This means the town acted very quickly because of the dangerous weather.
_____ made these decisions to protect the safety of swimmers and visitors.
Storms can create dangerous _____ in the sea, such as strong waves and rip currents.
Bad weather can also bring _____, which is very dangerous for people in open water.
It is not yet clear how long the beaches will remain closed.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think officials close beaches during storms?
- Have you ever experienced a sudden weather warning while on holiday? What happened?
- Why might it be difficult for tourists when beaches close suddenly?
- What other safety measures might be useful during storms at the coast?