France Tornado Injures 39 and Wreaks Havoc in Pomas

A tornado in south-west France injured 39 and caused extensive damage, impacting homes and local events in the village of Pomas.

A powerful tornado swept through the village of Pomas in south-west France, injuring 39 individuals and inflicting significant damage to hundreds of homes. Local officials reported that 15 people were taken to the hospital, with two in critical condition. One resident recounted how his pregnant wife suffered injuries when their house collapsed under the force of the tornado.

Emergency teams mobilized quickly, with more than 120 workers responding to the scene southeast of Carcassonne. Reports indicated winds reached speeds of 117 km/h (73 mph), ripping roofs off houses and damaging approximately 300 homes on the evening of the incident.

A stunned local named Pierre described the devastation, saying, “Half the village has been destroyed”. He elaborated on the impact by noting the historical significance of the structures that were damaged, highlighting that a third of a nearby castle, which had survived for 1,000 years, was now in ruins.

In an unfortunate twist, the extreme weather disrupted the third stage of the Vuelta a España cycle race. The race officials were forced to cancel the event when a hailstorm hit the area, just 15 kilometers from the finish line.

The tornado’s aftermath has left about 2,800 homes in the vicinity without electricity, affecting multiple villages across the region. Local government representatives, including sub-prefect Emmanuelle Plantier-Lemarchand, confirmed no one was reported missing, although she revised the total number of victims from 41 to 39, with 15 hospitalized.

One resident, Chantal, shared her terrifying experience, stating, “I heard this massive noise… then I saw everything flying around in the air and my roof collapsed over my head. I’ve got no house left, that’s for sure; I was really scared. I thought that’s it, this my final hour.”

The French authorities had previously issued an orange alert due to thunderstorms in large parts of the southwest, which had already experienced disruptions in power supply and transportation. Eyewitness footage shared on social media illustrated the tornado’s swirling vortex as it loomed ominously above homes and trees in Pomas.

Images from the devastated village displayed uprooted trees, damaged vehicles, and rubble from destroyed buildings, painting a grim picture of the tornado’s impact. Additionally, delays and cancellations were reported at various airports, including Bordeaux, Marseille, Nice, and Toulouse, as the storm’s fallout extended beyond Pomas.

France typically experiences several dozen tornadoes each year according to Météo-France, the national weather service. This event follows a particularly harsh summer across Europe, marked by severe heatwaves and destructive wildfires; the southwestern region of France was one of the worst affected, with more than 42,000 hectares burned in one of the largest forest fires since World War Two.