Hundreds of damaged homes, widespread power cuts and blocked roads confronted residents of southwestern France on Tuesday after a tornado tore through the village of Pomas, injuring 39 people, two of them critically.

Issued on: 25/08/2026 - 11:59

2 min Reading time

The tornado struck Pomas, a village of around 1,000 people in the Aude department, on Monday afternoon, damaging an estimated 300 homes and ripping roofs from some buildings. More than 120 emergency workers were deployed to the scene. Fifteen of the injured were taken to hospital. They included a pregnant woman who was hurt when her house collapsed on her, her husband told French news agency AFP.

A large tornado moves through Verzeille, France, 24 August 2026, in this screen grab obtained from a social media video. DENIS MARECHAL via REUTERS - DENIS MARECHAL