In brief
A 117‑km/h tornado tore through Pomas, southwestern France, injuring 39 people and damaging an estimated 300 homes. Emergency teams deployed over 120 workers, while the storm also forced the cancellation of a Vuelta a España stage. The incident coincided with severe thunderstorms that left 2,800 homes without power and prompted flight cancellations across several southern French airports. Local officials reported no missing people, but three residents remain in critical condition. Météo‑France notes that France’s south‑west has already faced extreme heatwaves and large-scale wildfires, underscoring the region’s vulnerability to extreme weather.
Tornado wreaks havoc in Pomas, southwestern France.
Thirty‑nine people were injured, with three in critical condition as a 117 km/h storm swept through the village, tearing roofs and crushing hundreds of homes.
Emergency workers rushed in, with 15 residents taken to hospitals. One community member recounted his pregnant wife being injured when their house collapsed on top of her.
The violent weather also struck the second stage of the Vuelta a España, forcing riders to shelter 15 km from the finish and leading to the cancellation of the day's race.
Around 2,800 homes across ten villages lost power and flights were delayed at Bordeaux, Marseille, Nice, Toulouse and northern Paris, according to Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot.
France’s south‑west, already battered by record heatwaves and massive wildfires, faces a new threat amid multiple severe weather incidents.
