Cannes hit by freak storm, cargo ship crashes into Carlton beach

A cargo-ship has crashed into the prestigious Cannes beachfront after a freak storm caused devastation across the region resulting in several landslides and flash flooding.

Today, an operation is underway to remove a 25 metre long cargo-ship that became detached from the port and ended up right in front of the Carlton Hotel. Gilles Jacob, President of the Cannes Film Festival tweeted a photo of the boat earlier today as it sat directly opposite the Croisette.

Often the meeting point for celebrities and producers during the film festival, today's imagery looked more like the scene of a disaster movie.

Residents in Cannes and Nice reported flooding and property damage estimated to be in the tens of millions while local media stated that the emergency services were called out a record 432 times following the storm alert. A 32-year-old woman also died during a landslide in Saint-Blaise.

As the salvage operation got underway today to remove the cargo boat, residents descended on to the beach to take pictures of the unprecedented scene. While there were no celebrities this time, the boat itself has become something of a star attraction.