Tornado tears through French village, dozens injured

A powerful tornado struck the southwestern French village of Pomas on Monday, leaving 41 people injured and causing extensive damage to hundreds of homes, according to local authorities. The Aude department, where Pomas is located, was under an orange alert for storms, leading to power outages, transport disruptions, and the cancellation of the Vuelta a Espana cycling race's third stage.

The tornado inflicted the most extensive damage in Pomas, where an estimated 300 homes were destroyed, many of their roofs torn off. Over 120 emergency responders were dispatched to assist the affected community. Among the 15 injured individuals taken to the hospital, one pregnant woman suffered severe injuries when her house collapsed atop her, her husband reported to AFP.

National weather service Meteo-France recorded wind speeds of up to 117km per hour in nearby Arquettes-en-Val. The severe weather conditions disrupted transportation across southern France, causing delays and cancellations at major airports such as Bordeaux, Marseille, Nice, Toulouse, and Paris. An estimated 2,800 homes across 10 villages were left without electricity, as reported by officials.

While France typically experiences several dozen tornadoes annually, the impact of climate change on their frequency and intensity remains uncertain, as stated by Meteo-France.