(Wine-Searcher) - The elements show they still have a sting in the tail as storms lash the south of France.

Vineyards in parts of Languedoc were damaged and vast swathes of land left underwater after six months' worth of rain fell in a day in the Hérault department on Monday.

The affected area has been declared a disaster zone by the Government after rail and road routes were destroyed and 1500 emergency workers were deployed after many areas had more than 100 millimeters (four inches) of rain in the space of an afternoon. Some areas received three times that amount.

The city of Montpellier and the surrounding area sustained "huge damage", according to Jérôme Despuy, president of the chamber of agriculture for the Hérault department.

French agriculture minister Stéphane Le Foll announced that his ministry was proceeding with an evaluation of the situation. He has promised that "losses will be covered if the damage impacts on the 2015 harvest or following ones."

The grape harvest began in August and Despey estimated that only around 15 percent remained to be picked, but the damage in the vineyards was severe. Speaking on Tuesday afternoon, he said: "To the east of Montpellier, the waters have invaded entire vineyard sections and it remains difficult to access the flooded parcels."