Paris; In France, at least 84 people, including many children, were killed and several injured when a lorry ploughed through a crowd during Bastille Day celebrations in the southern city of Nice.

In a televised national address, President Francois Hollande said the attack was of an undeniable terrorist nature. The attack happened on Bastille Day, a major holiday in France.

Victims had been watching fireworks on the beach and were walking down a promenade. Authorities said, the driver was shot dead and they found identity papers belonging to a 31-year-old French-Tunisian citizen in the truck, and also guns and larger weapons.

President Hollande announced, he would extend France’s state of emergency for three months in the wake of the latest attack and step up the government’s action against jihadists in Syria and Iraq.The attack is the third major strike against France in less than 18 months and prosecutors said anti-terrorist investigators would handle the probe.

France has been under a state of emergency ever since the November 13 Paris carnage, which came after 17 were killed in another attack in January at various sites including the offices of the Charlie Hebdo magazine and a Jewish supermarket.

Ministry of External Affairs has said that Indian Ambassador in Paris is in touch with the Indian community in Nice. So far, no report of any Indians affected has came. The embassy has also launched a helpline number +33-1-40507070 (Repeat: +33-1-40507070).