A high school in Saint-Clément-de-Rivière, Hérault, suffered major damage due to heavy rains on Wednesday, September 30. The school was forced to close, and its 100 boarding students were quickly moved to a nearby gym for safety. The intense rainfall caused significant water infiltration into the building, leading to a structural failure during the students' lunch break in the cafeteria. A section of the ceiling collapsed suddenly, flooding several rooms of second-year students and even reaching into their wardrobes. Some blinds broke during the incident. One student shared that they were just five centimeters away from the collapsing ceiling, expressing surprise at how suddenly the structure gave way. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. After being relocated, the students spent the night sleeping on cots in the gym. Local officials, including the mayor of Saint-Clément-de-Rivière, Jérôme Pouget, arranged emergency meals for the students, providing 200 portions of food, including beets, salad, and ravioli. Experts are expected to assess the damage more precisely on Thursday. The regional vice president, Kamel Chibli, said that they are waiting for the red alert to be lifted so that repair teams can begin work. He expressed hope to mobilize companies by the weekend or at the latest by Monday morning, allowing the boarding students to return to their dormitory. The heavy rains also caused damage to the local kindergarten, adding to the challenges faced by the community. Officials are likely to conduct further assessments of the damage across the area as the situation develops. The incident highlights the vulnerability of infrastructure during extreme weather events, prompting discussions about the need for improved building standards and emergency preparedness in regions prone to heavy rainfall. Local authorities are working to ensure the safety and well-being of affected students and staff while planning the necessary repairs.