More than 1,600 people have fled their homes in western France as a third major storm in a week brought record rainfall and extreme flooding.

Torrential rain, gusting winds, and major flooding caused widespread travel disruption, prompting evacuations and a series of red weather alerts

A succession of recent storms, including Storm Herminia, have caused severe flooding in western France. Residents have been forced to leave their homes by boat and helicopter. In Rennes, one of the worst affected places, around 400 people were taken to safety. The city's mayor said it was the most severe flooding in more than four decades.

Storm Herminia has unleashed downpours in western France, with parts of Brittany put on red weather alert Monday, while eight other French departments were put on orange alert for flooding, flash

Storm Herminia fuelled more flooding in north-west France and created dangerous avalanche conditions in the Alps.

Residents in western France used boats to escape their flooded homes on Monday as rivers and waterways overflowed their banks following successive storms that battered Normandy and Brittany. According to the Associated Press, the national weather service had issued flood and wind warnings as Storm Herminia hit Spain, France and parts of the UK.

Back-to-back storms have caused severe flooding across western France, hitting some areas with the worst flooding in 40 years. Watch this video to see how rescue teams were able to reach people stranded in their homes.

France suffers unprecedented flooding as storm Herminia moves into northern Spain, causing plains, trains and ferry cancellations.

Drone video shows flooding in western France after heavy rainfall from storm Herminia:::: Guichen, FranceFrance's national weather agency on Monday placed the Ile-et-Vilaine department, in western France,