Tornado Hits Southwestern France: 2 Missing and 42 Injured After Storms

A tornado struck the village of Pomas in southwestern France, causing extensive damage and leaving two people missing and at least 42 injured.

According to the Aude prefecture, the extreme weather event hit the municipality at around 5:20 p.m.

Local authorities said 41 people received medical treatment for their injuries. Five of them were taken to hospital, including a pregnant woman who was injured when part of her home collapsed.

Around 100 homes were damaged, while the prefecture announced the opening of two shelters for those affected overnight.

Footage published by French media shows the trail of destruction left by the tornado. Several roads in the prefecture were blocked by fallen trees, while others were closed to allow rescue teams to pass through, local authorities said.

By 7:30 p.m., 2,800 households across 10 municipalities were without electricity.

The weather service had issued an “orange alert” for dangerous weather conditions in 20 prefectures across southern France, including Aude.

The storms also affected the Vuelta a España: the third stage, which began in Aude, was halted because of hail. The cyclists were forced to take shelter around 20 kilometers from the finish in the neighboring department of Pyrénées-Orientales.