Tornado Strikes Southwestern France, Injuring Dozens and Damaging Homes

A powerful tornado swept through a village in southwestern France on Monday, injuring 41 people and causing significant damage to hundreds of homes. Local authorities issued an orange alert for storms across the region, leading to disruptions in power and transportation in multiple areas.

In the Aude region, the Vuelta a España cycling race faced cancellations during its third stage due to a severe hailstorm. Riders were forced to take shelter as adverse weather hit.

Footage from Verzeille captured the formation of the tornado beneath a supercell thunderstorm near Carcassonne on August 24, 2026. The village of Pomas, home to 1,000 residents, suffered the most damage with an estimated 300 homes affected. Roofs were torn off, causing emergency teams to deploy over 120 workers. Among the injured was a pregnant woman whose home collapsed, as reported by her husband.

Meteo-France reported that winds in the nearby village of Arquettes-en-Val reached speeds of up to 73 miles per hour. The storm led to widespread travel disorders, impacting train schedules, closing roads, and causing delays and cancellations at airports in Bordeaux, Marseille, Nice, Toulouse, and even Paris in the north, according to Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot.

Approximately 2,800 homes were left without electricity across 10 affected villages. On average, France experiences several dozen tornadoes each year.