Tornado injures 41, damages 300 homes in southern France

A tornado tore through Pomas, a town near Carcassonne in southern France, leaving at least 41 people injured and damaging 300 homes. The local government reported that 15 of the injured were taken to the hospital. As of late Monday night, over 120 firefighters and specialists were on the scene, with reinforcements expected from neighboring departments. Rescue teams worked to secure damaged buildings, particularly ground floors, to prevent collapse.

The severe storm front that swept through much of southern France on Monday afternoon also caused significant disruptions to transportation. The Minister of Transport, Philippe Tabarot, noted on social media that intense storm activity affected operations at airports in Bordeaux, Toulouse, Marseille, and Nice, as well as Paris. Rail traffic faced interruptions, with services halted between Narbonne and Sète from 6:30 PM local time. Numerous regional trains were canceled in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, and service was also disrupted in Saint Pierre de Corps due to a power outage.