FIVE PEOPLE INCLUDING a seven-year-old girl were killed after being swept away by a flash flood in a canyon on the French island of Corsica yesterday.

The dead include a father and his young daughter as well as their guide, local prosecutor Eric Bouillard said. The body of a 22-year-old woman was found today.

Two others belonging to the same group managed to escape.

Bouillard said a group of 12 people plus their guide had been hiking along the Zoicu canyon in the region of Soccia, famous for its natural ravines and waterfalls, when some members were overwhelmed by a sudden rush of water on an abseiling descent.

“When the group got into difficulty, at first two people gave up, then four more,” he said.

Large wave

The remaining seven people continued their descent and were surprised by a large wave.

“This wave — we are talking about three metres (10 feet) high — overwhelmed them and carried them away,” he said.

Two people — a man and his 16-year-old son — were rescued with a rope while five people were washed away.

The flash flood is believed to have been caused by mountain storms which have unleashed heavy rainfalls in recent days.

The Zoicu canyon is considered one of the most beautiful in Corsica but parts of it are only accessible with specialised canyoning equipment.

- © AFP 2018