Suddenly a huge funnel appeared in the sky: Dozens injured in rare tornado in southern France | Watch
A rare and powerful tornado struck southern France yesterday afternoon (Monday). 41 people were injured, 15 were evacuated to hospitals, and about 300 homes were damaged in the town of Pomas and its surroundings. The phenomenon occurred under an orange alert, with winds of up to 147 km/h and hail 3-5 cm in diameter.
A rare and powerful tornado struck southern France yesterday afternoon (Monday, August 24), causing heavy damage in the town of Pomas and nearby communities in the Aude department, south of Carcassonne. According to local authorities, 41 people were injured, 15 of whom were evacuated to hospitals, and about 300 homes were damaged. The phenomenon occurred at 5:20 PM, while the area was under an orange thunderstorm alert. Videos recorded by residents showed a large funnel advancing rapidly. In Pomas, roofs were torn off, trees collapsed onto roads, and homes suffered severe damage. Initially, about 2,800 households were reported without electricity. Firefighting forces set up a center for treating the injured, and about 100 firefighters were called to the area. According to La Chaîne Météo, the tornado developed within a supercell thunderstorm. Hail 3-5 cm in diameter, rainfall of over 35 mm per hour, and wind gusts of 117 km/h were measured in the area. Later in the evening, extreme gusts of up to 147 km/h were measured in Vaucluse and over 130 km/h in Provence. 20 departments were placed under an orange alert. The extreme weather comes after an unusual summer in France, which included prolonged periods of intense heat and drought, with temperatures approaching 39 degrees Celsius last week.