Severe weather damages homes, vineyards and rail networks while heatwave warnings remain in effect
PARIS: Violent storms swept across France overnight, leaving around 13,000 households without electricity on Thursday and causing widespread damage to homes, transport networks and agricultural land, according to electricity distribution operator Enedis.
The storms struck several regions with torrential rain, hail and intense lightning, while authorities continued restoration efforts and monitored ongoing weather risks.
The Ardeche department suffered some of the worst damage after hailstones several centimetres wide battered homes, vehicles and public buildings. In the village of Prades, officials said nearly 95 percent of the town’s homes sustained damage during the storm.
Moreover, Ardeche recorded more than 2,200 lightning strikes within two hours on Wednesday evening, making it the most lightning-hit department in France during the severe weather. The strikes also ignited a vegetation fire that burned approximately four hectares before firefighters brought it under control.
Power outages and transport disruption continue
The storms triggered flooding and disrupted transport services across multiple regions. In Sarthe, nearly 17,000 households initially lost electricity on Wednesday evening. Although repair crews restored power to many customers overnight, around 6,000 homes remained without electricity on Thursday.
Meanwhile, approximately 500 households in Dordogne continued to experience power outages. Rail services also faced delays and cancellations on several routes after storm damage and unstable ground conditions affected railway infrastructure.
Heatwave warnings remain despite storms
In addition to damaging residential areas, the severe weather struck vineyards in the Vaucluse department, raising concerns about agricultural losses.
Although the storms eased in several regions, French weather authorities kept 15 departments under orange thunderstorm alerts on Thursday. Furthermore, 31 departments remained under orange heatwave warnings as high temperatures persisted across much of the country.
France has experienced repeated spells of extreme heat in recent weeks, with prolonged dry conditions contributing to destructive wildfires. Consequently, the combination of heatwaves and increasingly violent storms has continued to strain emergency services, disrupt infrastructure and pose growing risks to communities across the country.
