Rare tornado devastates French village, leaving dozens injured

A tornado of rare intensity has devastated the small French village of Pomas, leaving a trail of destruction and residents in shock, with the mayor likening the aftermath to a "wartime situation."

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We were bombed by nature.

The twister swept through the Aude department late Monday afternoon, hitting Pomas with ferocious force. Walls collapsed, roofs were torn off, and trees were uprooted. Of the village's approximately one thousand residents, 39 people were injured, including two seriously, leading to 17 hospitalizations. Mayor Herve Gine expressed disbelief that no one died, estimating that the toll could have been much higher.

"We were bombed by nature," Gine stated, describing the scene as chaotic with debris scattered everywhere. Uprooted trees, scattered roof tiles, overturned cars, and homes with shattered windows and torn shutters bore testament to the tornado's violence. The nursery school and town hall were among the public buildings destroyed, leaving the village without essential services.

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People are in shock.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez described the tornado as "of rare intensity," and the regional deputy prefect called it "an exceptional and highly traumatic event." The damage is extensive, with around 300 of the village's 476 homes sustaining damage. Mayor Gine indicated that much of the village will require rebuilding.

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The nursery school is gone … We no longer have a school, we no longer have a town hall.

Emergency crews worked through the night, assisted by a canine search unit, to ensure no victims were trapped. Power outages affected thousands of households in the wider region. Residents salvaged what they could, while others were accommodated in a temporary shelter set up in the community hall or stayed with friends and relatives.

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It was a miracle no one died.