In brief
A tornado swept across Pomas on 24 August, injuring 39 people and wreaking havoc on 300 homes with winds of 117 km/h. Fifteen patients were hospitalized, two critically injured after a collapsed home. The event caused power outages for 2,800 houses across 10 villages and triggered an orange severe‑weather alert. The strike overlapped the Vuelta a España race, which had to cancel a stage after a hailstorm, and comes after a season of extreme heat and wildfire damage in southwestern France.
A tornado swept across the village of Pomas in southwestern France on 24 August, injuring 39 people and causing widespread damage.
The high‑speed tornado, with winds of 117 km/h (73 mph), lifted roofs and tore windows out of many homes. Authorities treated 15 patients in local hospitals, with two in critical condition following a collapsed house that injured a pregnant woman.
Approximately 300 homes were damaged and about 2,800 houses across 10 villages lost power, prompting an orange alert for severe thunderstorm activity across the region.
The violence overlapped the Vuelta a España race, which had to cancel its third stage after a hailstorm, halting cyclists in a hotel for shelter.
Experts note that this strike follows a season of unprecedented heatwaves and extensive wildfire damage that scorched 42,000 hectares in the South‑west, signalling a trend of escalating weather extremes.
Residents and authorities continue to assess losses and begin repairs amid ongoing regional weather disruptions.
