Two rivers -- the Aa and the Liane -- were placed on red alert for flooding in the northern Pas-de-Calais department after heavy showers overnight from Monday to Tuesday.

Coming on the heels of Storm Ciaran which battered Western Europe last week, the floods "impacted" around 60 municipalities, causing "significant" damage, said the prefecture, adding that dozens of schools have been closed.

Vigicrues, the official river flooding watchdog, described Tuesday's floods as "exceptional". 

In the town of Blendecques, which was already hit by a flood last year, locals assessed the damage.

"Everything has to be repaired again," lamented Ludovic Provence, 43.

"We can't do anything against the water."

The red alert warning will remain in place until Wednesday evening.