Tornado in France injures 41 people, damages hundreds of homes

On Monday, a tornado struck a village in southwestern France, resulting in 41 injuries and widespread damage to homes, according to authorities. French officials had issued an orange alert for stormy weather across parts of the country's southwest, leading to power outages and disruptions in transportation. In the Aude region, the third stage of the Vuelta a España cycling race was canceled when a hailstorm forced participants to seek shelter.

The tornado caused the most extensive damage in Pomas, a village of 1,000 residents, where approximately 300 homes were destroyed or severely damaged, some with roofs torn off. Over 120 emergency responders were dispatched to assist, and 15 of the injured, including a pregnant woman, were taken to a hospital. The weather service, Meteo-France, reported wind speeds up to 73 miles per hour in the nearby village of Arquettes-en-Val.

Storms throughout southern France disrupted transportation, causing delays and cancellations at airports in Bordeaux, Marseille, Nice, Toulouse, and Paris. Roughly 2,800 homes in 10 villages lost power due to the storms. On average, France experiences several dozen tornadoes annually.