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Tornado in Aude department, France

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2026-08-26 07:40 UTC → 2026-08-28 16:03 UTC · added ~~removed~~

A powerful tornado spawned by a supercell thunderstorm struck the village of Pomas in the Aude department of southern France around 5:20 p.m. on Monday. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez described the storm as being of “rare intensity.” The storm produced wind gusts of up to 117–120 kilometers per hour in nearby Arquettes-en-Val and was accompanied by large hail, with some stones reaching up to four centimeters in size. Local authorities reported ~~between 26 and 48~~ 41 injuries, with 15 ~~to 20~~ people transported to hospitals. Among the injured was a pregnant woman who was reportedly shielded from falling debris by her sofa during the collapse of her home. ~~No deaths or missing persons have been reported.~~ Material damage is extensive. The Aude prefecture reported that approximately 300 to 330 homes were affected by roof damage or total destruction, with 102 houses confirmed as completely destroyed. The village school and town hall ~~were~~ also ~~reported to have~~ sustained significant damage. The storm uprooted trees, damaged vehicles, and left roughly 2,800 households across ten municipalities without electricity. Over 120 firefighters, specialized search and rescue teams, and canine units were deployed to secure damaged structures. Extreme weather led to widespread disruptions, including road closures and delays or cancellations for air and rail transport at major airports such as Bordeaux, Marseille, Nice, Toulouse, and Paris. Additionally, the intense weather forced the cancellation of the third stage of the Vuelta a España cycling race in the Pyrenees due to heavy hail and wind. ~~The storm moved through several municipalities between Carcassonne and Limoux, while~~ Météo France had placed 20 departments in southern France under orange alerts, though subsequent reports indicated orange alerts for thunderstorms spanning from Occitanie to Lorraine, with 34 other departments under yellow alerts.

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