Amid Bastille Day celebrations lorry rams crowd in France’s Nice

A lorry has struck a crowd after Bastille Day celebrations in the southern French city of Nice, killing at least 80 people and injuring dozens, AFP news agency reported

It happened on the famous Promenade des Anglais after a firework display. The driver was shot dead and guns and grenades were found inside the lorry as reported in BBC

President Francois Hollande said the attack was of a “terrorist nature”.

He extended a state of emergency by three months.

About 50 people were injured, 18 of them critically, in the incident on Thursday evening.

Prosecutor Jean-Michel Pretre said the lorry drove 2km (1.2 miles) through a large crowd, the AFP news agency reported.

Interior Ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet denied earlier reports of hostage situations and said the driver of the lorry had been “neutralised”.

He added that officials were investigating whether the driver acted alone.

No group has so far claimed responsibility, however prosecutors said the inquiry would be handled by anti-terror investigators.

“The police have completely taken over the city, the promenade has now been closed down. Everybody was physically pushed away from the site and told to get back in no uncertain terms by the police.”

“I live 200m from the promenade and it took nearly one hour 30 minutes to get back to my flat because all the roads have been closed down.”

US President Barack Obama condemned “in the strongest terms” what he said appeared to be “a horrific terrorist attack in Nice”, the White House said.

The president had been briefed about the situation “and his national security team will update him, as appropriate”, National Security Council spokesman Ned Price said.

On Friday, flags in France will be flying at half-mast, and Nice’s jazz festival has been cancelled.