Paris - Two people have died and some 90,000 households were without electricity on Monday following a powerful weekend storm that left much of central France buried in snow.

On Sunday, a 50-year-old woman lost her life after her vehicle skidded on a snowy road near the town of Lavoute-sur-Loire and plunged into the icy Loire River.

In addition, a 58-year-old Swiss man hiking with snowshoes in the Jura Mountains was caught in an avalanche and killed. His wife was gravely injured in the accident.

The energy supplier EDF said it was working on Monday to repair broken and fallen power lines that have left some 92.500 households without electricity.

At the same time, heavy rain and high winds have increased the risk of flooding in southern France. According to France Bleu radio, some 500 people had to be evacuated from their homes in the city of Cavaillon because rivers were close to overflowing their banks. (dpa)