A powerful tornado hit several areas of the Aude department, in southwestern France, causing extensive material damage and injuring at least 41 people. The village of Pomas, near Carcassonne, was one of the worst-hit areas.
Pomas, a community of about 1,000 residents, suffered significant damage. According to preliminary estimates, about 300 homes were damaged, while strong winds tore off roofs from some homes and damaged other buildings.
Among the injured was a pregnant woman who was injured after part of her apartment collapsed. Her husband told AFP that she was hit by the rubble of the house.
🌪️ Exceptional video of the #tornade that touched the surroundings of Carcassonne!
Des grêlons de plusieurs centimètres, jusqu'à 3 à 5 cm, ont également touché les secteurs proches. Mais c'est surtout la tornado qui a causé d'important déjàuts, avec notably des habitations… pic.twitter.com/KVTBgWanFG
— vigiprevention_meteo (@VigipreventionM) August 24, 2026
More than 120 firefighters were on the scene helping residents, clearing debris and securing damaged buildings. Authorities said reinforcements from neighboring departments were arriving in the area.
Images posted on social media showed a powerful tornado passing through several communities near Carcassonne, while witnesses reported strong winds and extensive damage.
🌪️Eyewitness footage recorded from the village of #Verzeille captured a #tornado forming and swirling beneath a violent supercell thunderstorm south of the southern French city of #Carcassonne. https://t.co/tL5GfNBnxLpic.twitter.com/oGurjJdrxi
📌Authorities reported at least 26... pic.twitter.com/U5AVlVP0iw— ⚡️🌎 World News 🌐⚡️ (@ferozwala) August 25, 2026
According to the French meteorological service Météo-France, winds of up to 117 kilometers per hour were recorded in the nearby village of Arquettes-en-Val.
The storms have also caused major problems in transport. Several railway lines faced delays, various roads were closed, while delays and flight cancellations were reported at the airports of Bordeaux, Marseille, Nice and Toulouse. Similar problems were also reported in Paris.
In the Aude department, organizers also canceled the third stage of the Vuelta a España cycling race after heavy hailstorms forced cyclists to seek shelter.
The energy situation remained problematic in some areas. As of 19:30 p.m., around 2,800 households in ten communes of Aude were still without electricity.
French authorities had placed several areas of the southwest on an orange alert for storms. Meanwhile, Météo-France points out that France records several dozen tornadoes every year, but there is still no clear conclusion on the impact of global warming on the frequency or intensity of these phenomena.
