On October 17 and 18, 2023, the Leslie depression brought severe rainfall and flooding across several regions of France, particularly affecting the Centre-East, South-East, and Île-de-France.

Six departments, including Rhône, Loire, Haute-Loire, Ardèche, Lozère, and Alpes-Maritimes, were placed on red alert, with additional damages reported in Pyrénées-Atlantiques and Paris.

The Cévénnes region recorded between 650 and 700 mm of rain in just 48 hours, contributing to the extensive flooding.

The declaration of a natural disaster is crucial for victims, as it triggers the compensation process, which begins only after an official decree is published.

In Paris, rainfall equivalent to two weeks' worth fell in just one hour, resulting in significant river and canal overflows.

To qualify for compensation, victims must be covered by natural disaster insurance, typically included in multi-risk home insurance policies.

The CCR, a public institution, provides unlimited reinsurance coverage for natural disaster events declared by the state, ensuring that victims receive compensation.

Minister of Ecological Transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, described the storm as unprecedented in its scale, highlighting the extreme weather patterns exacerbated by climate change.

Adapting crop selection to align with changing climatic zones is essential for the future of agriculture in France, as farmers face severe financial strain from crop losses due to excessive rainfall.

Approximately 35,000 insurance claims are expected due to the flooding, with the Caisse centrale de réassurance (CCR) covering at least half of the estimated costs, which range between €350 million and €420 million.

Economy Minister Antoine Armand announced that the recognition of a natural disaster has been initiated and urged insurers to expedite compensation.

France's unique public-private partnership model for disaster insurance is under strain due to rising climate-related claims, as evidenced by the CCR's reported loss of €112 million in 2023.