Pomas, France hit by violent EF3 tornado

A violent EF3 tornado struck the village of Pomas in the Aude department of southern France on August 24, 2026. The storm caused significant destruction, including damaged or destroyed homes, uprooted trees, and overturned vehicles.

Emergency responders, including over 120 firefighters from Aude and specialized USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) units from Pompiers13, were deployed to the area. Despite the intensity of the storm, which left debris such as wooden beams embedded in walls, no fatalities were reported.

Météo-France described the event as a “devastating tornado,” while the Keraunos observatory confirmed the EF3 intensity based on the scale of the damage observed on the ground.