Tornado destroys village in France: 41 injured and about 300 homes damaged
The tornado hit Pomas in the southwest of the country, tearing off roofs, uprooting trees, and leaving thousands of homes without electricity. 15 of the injured were taken to hospitals, including a pregnant woman whose house collapsed on her. The storms caused disruptions on roads, trains, and flights, and even led to the suspension of a stage in the Vuelta a España cycling race.
A powerful tornado hit the village of Pomas in southwestern France on Monday, injuring 41 people and causing damage to about 300 homes, local authorities reported. 15 of the injured were taken to hospitals, but no deaths were reported.
The tornado struck around 17:20 in Pomas, about 100 kilometers southeast of Toulouse and near the city of Carcassonne in the Aude department. Footage from the scene showed the large funnel moving between houses, as well as roofs torn off, trees uprooted, and power lines damaged.
Among the injured was a pregnant woman who was hurt after her house collapsed. Fire and rescue forces searched the damaged buildings for people trapped, while the Red Cross assisted residents who were forced to leave their homes. Temporary reception centers were opened for families whose homes were damaged or could not be returned to safely.
More than 115 firefighters were called to the scene, along with experts in rescue from rubble and a canine unit. Authorities blocked several roads in the area and asked the public to avoid arriving at the scene to allow emergency teams to continue rescue operations and debris removal.
The tornado formed while southwestern France was under an orange alert for severe thunderstorms. The extreme weather also affected other areas in the south of the country, causing delays in train traffic, road closures, and flight cancellations at several airports. About 2,800 households in ten localities were left without electricity.
The storms were accompanied by heavy rain, hail, and wind gusts that reached speeds of up to 120 km/h. The severe weather conditions also led to the suspension of the third stage of the Vuelta a España cycling race, which was held in the Aude department, after a hailstorm hit the route.
Local authorities continue to assess the extent of the damage. According to reports from Agence France-Presse and Le Monde, this is one of the most unusual and destructive weather events recorded in the region in recent times.
