Tornado causes significant damage and injuries in southwestern France

A powerful tornado struck the village of Pomas in the Aude department of southwestern France on August 25, 2026, at approximately 17:20 local time. The extreme weather event caused severe destruction, damaging around 100 homes and leaving approximately 2,800 households across 10 municipalities without electricity as of 19:30.

Reports on the number of injured vary by source: Philenews states that at least 42 people were injured, while Sigma Live News reports 26. Both sources confirm that five people required hospitalization, including a pregnant woman whose life was saved by a sofa when her house wall collapsed. Local authorities have opened two shelters for displaced residents. Additionally, two people are reported missing according to Philenews, though this detail is not mentioned in the Sigma Live report. Road closures have been implemented across the region to facilitate access for emergency response teams.

The incident occurred while the national meteorological service had issued an 'orange alert' for dangerous weather conditions across 20 departments in southern France. Local authorities are managing the ongoing recovery efforts while the affected areas deal with the aftermath of the structural damage and power outages.