A woman died after falling into a swollen river in France on Wednesday, the interior minister said, as heavy storms battered the south.

The victim's body was found on the banks of the Dourdou river in Arnac commune in the region of Aveyron.

The woman apparently fell from a bridge and drowned in the surging river below, rescue services said.

The Languedoc-Roussillon region is experiencing storms "of high intensity, which unfortunately resulted in the death of a person in Aveyron this afternoon," Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said in a statement.

More than 400 firefighters were working alongside police and local authorities to help residents in the storm-hit areas, which also include the departments of Herault and Gard, the ministry said.

Nearly 100 people had to be rescued from their homes or vehicles in Gard and Aveyron alone, rescue workers said.

More rain is expected in the region overnight.