Tornado Strikes Southern France, Leaving 39 Injured and 300 Homes Damaged

A tornado has struck southern France, leaving 39 people injured and damaging approximately 300 homes.

According to the AP and AFP wire services on the 25th local time, local authorities reported that the tornado swept through Pomas, a small village in the Aude department of France, late the previous night, injuring 39 people.

Among the injured, two are reportedly in critical condition and 17 remain hospitalized.

Rescue authorities are continuing search operations in and around the village of Pomas.

All roughly 1,000 residents of Pomas have been evacuated and are staying in emergency shelters.

About 300 houses suffered structural damage, with roofs blown off and outer walls collapsed, while numerous vehicles were wrecked and uprooted trees were scattered across the area.

Authorities in the Aude department stated that power outages affected 1,400 households until the morning of the 25th.

According to Météo-France, mainland France experiences dozens of tornadoes each year, but most are weak in intensity.

The French Ministry of Transportation reported that severe weather led to flight cancellations and delays in regions including Bordeaux, Marseille, Nice, and Toulouse.

(Photo: Getty Images)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.