Severe Storm Strikes Southwest France, Injuring 41 and Damaging Hundreds of Homes

According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, a severe storm struck a village in southwest France on Monday, resulting in injuries to 41 individuals and damage to hundreds of residential properties, according to reports from the Mehr News Agency, citing the French News Agency.

French authorities declared an “orange alert” for vast areas of the country’s southwest due to the storm. Numerous regions experienced power outages and disruptions to transportation networks.

In the Aude department, officials canceled the third stage of the Vuelta a España cycling race, which was scheduled to take place in the area, after severe hail surprised the cyclists.

The intensity of the storm was so severe that in the village of Beaumess, with a population of only one thousand, approximately 300 houses were damaged, with some roofs being torn off.

Local officials reported that over 120 emergency personnel were dispatched to the scene. Fifteen injured individuals were transported to the hospital. The national meteorological service of France reported that wind speeds reached 117 kilometers per hour in a neighboring village.

Philippe Tabaro, the French Minister of Transport, stated that the storms affecting southern France caused disruptions to the transportation network, leading to train delays and blocked roads. Furthermore, flights at the airports of Bordeaux, Marseille, Nice, Toulouse, and even Paris experienced delays or cancellations.

Authorities also reported that electricity was cut off in 2,800 homes across 10 villages.