More than 100,000 homes lose power in heavy rain and strong winds of storm, following fatal tornado near Paris
On Monday, a tornado swept through Val-d’Oise in northern France, causing widespread damage across several districts. The town of Ermont, about 12 miles (20km) north-east of Paris, was worst affected. Construction cranes toppled, buildings were damaged, and trees uprooted. One person was killed and four others were critically injured.
The same day, heavy showers hit parts of the UK, with reports of a possible tornado in Dereham, Norfolk. Several homes were damaged, though no injuries were reported.
Later in the week, northern France faced further severe weather as Storm Benjamin, a deep Atlantic low-pressure system, brought heavy rain and strong winds. Meteo-France placed Paris and nearby regions under yellow-orange alerts, with coastal gusts reaching 70mph. More than 100,000 homes lost power, and rainfall totals climbed to 40mm in 24 hours.
Australia endured ferocious winds midweek as a low-pressure system moved east from South Australia into Victoria. Gusts of up to 75mph caused major power outages across Melbourne and felled hundreds of trees. Two people died in violent surf at Melbourne Beach, prompting the cancellation of the Geelong Cup.
