A violent tornado swept through a village in southwestern France on Monday, leaving 41 people injured and causing significant damage to hundreds of homes. Authorities had previously issued an alert for potential storms across the region.
Many areas experienced power outages and travel disruption due to the severe weather conditions. The Aude region saw the cancellation of the third stage of the Vuelta a España cycling race. A hailstorm forced the participants to find shelter, as reported by local officials. Footage from Verzeille captured the tornado forming beneath a supercell thunderstorm, showing the dramatic events south of Carcassonne on August 24, 2026.
Pomas, a village with 1,000 residents, was particularly hard-hit. Around 300 homes were damaged, with some losing their roofs entirely. In response to the destruction, over 120 emergency workers were deployed. Among the injured were 15 individuals taken to the hospital, including a pregnant woman whose house collapsed.
The national weather service, Meteo-France, reported wind speeds reaching 73 miles per hour in Arquettes-en-Val. Transportation disruptions affected trains, roads, and airports in several cities, including Bordeaux, Marseille, Nice, Toulouse, and even Paris in the north. Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot confirmed these widespread delays and cancellations.
Officials noted that approximately 2,800 homes were without electricity across ten villages. France typically encounters several dozen tornadoes annually, highlighting the region’s vulnerability to such natural disasters.
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