The severe thunderstorms that hit France on Thursday evening left at least two people dead, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).

In Saint-Victurnien, in the Haute-Vienne département, a woman died after a tree fell. In Dolomieu, in the Isère département, a man was found dead in a workshop that burned down after it was struck by lightning.

Thirty départements across central and eastern France were placed on orange alert for thunderstorms on Thursday evening, with a risk of large hail.

Power grid operator Enedis said on Friday morning that nearly 53,000 households had been affected by by power outages following the severe storms.