An impressive tornado hit several towns in the Aude on Monday, causing major damage, particularly in Pomas, with gusts of up to 117 km/h recorded.
According to the prefecture of the Aude department, the tornado struck late on Monday afternoon, at 5.20 pm, hitting in particular Pomas, a village of around 1,000 residents located between Carcassonne and Limoux.
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Numerous videos posted on social media show a powerful vortex moving through several communes in the department under stormy skies.
The tornado that devastated a village in south-west France on Monday afternoon left 41 people injured, 15 of whom were taken to hospital, and damaged 300 homes, local authorities said.
"More than 120 firefighters are on the scene" and reinforcements from neighbouring departments are expected, according to the prefecture of the Aude department, which added that "work to make the buildings safe is under way".
The material damage is extensive. Around a hundred homes have been affected in Pomas, with numerous roofs ripped off and houses blown away.
To house residents who are unable to return to their homes, two emergency accommodation centres have been opened for the night, in Pomas and in Limoux.
The gendarmes, for their part, will carry out regular patrols in the affected areas to secure the damaged properties.
The severe weather has also disrupted traffic. Several departmental roads have been closed after trees fell and to allow the emergency services to intervene.
At 7.30 pm, 2,800 households in around ten communes in the Aude department were still without electricity.
The tornado struck just as part of the south-west was on orange alert. Météo France recorded wind gusts of 117 km/h. The orange alert was lifted at 7 pm.
