The tornado occurred this Monday afternoon in Pomas, a small town in the Aude department, near Carcassonne, in southwestern France. The phenomenon, which could be observed around 5:20 p.m., was accompanied by strong storms and left numerous homes damaged, some of them with their roofs torn off and parts of their structures destroyed.
Authorities have reported at least 40 injuries, although the numbers have been increasing in recent hours. None of those affected are, at the moment, in critical condition. Emergency services have deployed an extensive device to assist residents and check the affected buildings.
The passage of the tornado has also caused significant material damage. Around 300 of the 500 homes in Pomas have been affected and nearly a hundred could have been left uninhabitable, according to the first evaluations collected by Reuters.
The images show the enormous column of air rotating over the town as it moves between the homes. In a matter of minutes, the tornado ripped off roofs, downed trees and caused serious damage to several buildings.
An unusual tornado due to its intensity
The phenomenon occurred in a context of strong storms that have affected the south of France after the intense heat wave of recent days. According to a Météo-France expert cited by Reuters, the winds associated with the tornado could reach or exceed 200 kilometers per hour.
Although tornadoes are not unknown in France, what happened in Pomas stands out for the intensity of the damage. The country registers several dozen tornadoes a year, but generally they are phenomena of lower intensity than the one recorded this Monday.
The inhabitants of Pomas evacuated due to serious damage
Given the state of the homes, the entire municipality has been evacuated while specialized teams check if the buildings are safe. Emergency services continue to work through the rubble and review the most affected areas.
The images spread on social networks show the violence of the phenomenon: torn off roofs, damaged vehicles, fallen trees and streets covered in the remains of homes. The tornado has thus left one of the most striking images of the meteorological day in France, after a few days marked by high temperatures and the arrival of strong storms in the south of the country.
