Powerful Tornado Hits Southern France, Damaging More Than 300 Homes and Injuring Dozens

PARIS: A powerful tornado swept through France’s southern Aude region late Monday, damaging more than 300 homes and injuring 39 people, authorities said.

The tornado struck the area in the late afternoon as a period of intense summer heat gave way to thunderstorms across southern France. The village of Pomas was among the worst affected, with homes suffering extensive damage.

France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nunez described the storm as a tornado of “rare intensity,” particularly in Pomas. Two of the injured were reported to be in critical condition.

By Tuesday morning, around 21,000 households across southern France were without electricity, including approximately 1,600 in the Aude region, according to local power grid operator ENEDIS.

Videos verified by Reuters showed the tornado moving over the nearby village of Verzeille, while numerous homes along its path sustained damage, including shattered windows.

Emergency services and local authorities were assessing the extent of the damage and responding to the affected communities. The storm came as France experienced a transition from an intense heatwave to a period of severe thunderstorms.

Authorities continued to monitor weather conditions and urged residents in affected areas to remain cautious as emergency operations and damage assessments proceeded.