Tornado devastates French town, injuring 41 and damaging hundreds of homes

A powerful tornado tore through the town of Pomas in southwestern France on Monday, leaving a trail of destruction that included approximately 300 damaged homes and injuring 41 people.

Local authorities reported that the twister ripped roofs off many buildings and caused significant communication and power outages. The severe weather paralyzed parts of southern France's transport network, with the third stage of the Vuelta a España cycling race being canceled due to hail forcing riders to seek shelter. Train services faced delays, roads were closed, and air travel was also affected, with delays and cancellations at airports in Bordeaux, Marseille, Nice, Toulouse, and Paris.

In Pomas, a town of about a thousand residents, the tornado's impact was devastating. Fifteen of the 41 injured individuals required hospitalization. Among the injured was a pregnant woman whose husband reported that she was hurt when part of their home collapsed on her.

According to Météo-France, the national meteorological service, wind speeds in the nearby town of Arquettes-en-Val reached 117 km/h. The storm left around 2,800 households across ten municipalities without electricity.

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She was injured after part of the house collapsed on her.