The driver who ploughed into a Bastille Day crowd in Nice killing 80 was a 31-year-old resident born in Tunisia, French media have claimed.

The man, who has not been named, was a resident of the French Riviera city, local newspaper Nice-Matin reports citing unidentified sources.

A police source told AFP his identity and place of residence were confirmed by papers found in the truck.

French counter-terrorism investigators have not officially confirmed the identity of the driver who was shot dead after emerging from the truck with a gun and opening fire on police.

A source close to the investigation said an "inactive" grenade and "several fake rifles" were found inside the truck, which came to a halt on the beachfront promenade with holes in its windshield and its radiator destroyed.

Witnesses say the driver deliberately steered into the crowd walking home from a fireworks display, zig-zagging the 25-tonne unmarked truck for maximum devastation.

Nice mayor Christian Estrosi described the attack as “the worst drama in the history of Nice”.

He said the truck was being driven by an individual who “appeared to have completely premeditated behaviour”.

"At the moment that he was shot dead by police, he had fired several times," he added.

A photograph showed the front of the truck riddled with bullet holes and badly damaged, with burst tyres.

US President Barack Obama has condemned "what appears to be a horrific terrorist attack", although no group had claimed responsibility for the incident.

In addition to those killed, more than 100 people have been injured, including three Australians, with reports at least 18 have been listed as critical. Photos from the scene show bodies strewn over the road and blood on the ground.

One woman told France Info she and others had fled in terror: "The lorry came zig-zagging along the street. We ran into a hotel and hid in the toilets with lots of people."

Another woman told the station she was sheltering in a restaurant on the promenade with some 200 other people, where things had calmed down about two hours after the incident.

It is eight months and a day since the co-ordinated Paris terror attacks, which were conducted by an ISIL-linked terror cell based in Belgium.

In Nice, counter-terrorism experts have taken over the investigation and US president Barack Obama labelled the massacre a “horrific terrorist attack”.

However it is not yet known who is behind the attack with ISIL so far not claiming responsibility.

The group has taken up to two days to confirm its involvement in past western terror attacks, the New York Times reports.

The possibility remains the driver was inspired by Islamic State while not being directly linked to the terror group.

ISIL has previously called for terror attacks to be conducted by sympathisers unable to join the fight in Syria using vehicles as deadly weapons at home.

In a 2010 article in ISIL’s English-language ‘Inspire’ magazine, jihadis were encouraged to use “pick-up trucks as a mowing machine”.

“Not to mow grass but mow down the enemies of Allah,” the magazine article said.

A September 2014 video directly appealed to French-speaking jihadis to “operate within France” using vehicles to kill dozens in a crowd.

“If you are unable to come to Syria or Iraq, then pledge allegiance in your place — pledge allegiance in France,” a French ISIL member says in the video.

Nice attack: Tears fall as bloody road becomes tribute for victims View Gallery