France Tornado: Dozens Injured and Hundreds of Homes Damaged
BBC News
A tornado has torn through the French village of Pomas in the country's south-west, injuring 41 people and damaging hundreds of homes.
Local authorities reported 15 hospitalisations, including a pregnant woman injured after her house collapsed on her. Winds reaching 117km/h (73mph) ripped roofs off houses and damaged an estimated 300 homes on Monday.
More than 120 emergency workers were deployed to the scene. French authorities issued an orange alert for thunderstorms in large parts of the country's south-west, causing power outages and transport disruptions. Approximately 2,800 homes across 10 villages remain without electricity.
Eyewitness footage shows the swirling vortex of the tornado above houses and trees. Images from Pomas, the hardest hit village, depict uprooted trees, damaged cars, and rubble from destroyed homes. Flight delays and cancellations were reported at several airports, including Bordeaux, Marseille, Nice, Toulouse, and north of Paris.
While tornadoes are not uncommon in France, averaging several dozen per year, this incident follows a summer of unprecedented heatwaves and wildfires, with the south-west region particularly affected.