THIRTY-TWO departments across France are on orange alert for severe storms today, less than 24 hours after hail battered several areas - including Île-de-France.
Hailstones the size of tennis balls smashed car windows and damaged roof tiles, while cellars flooded and winds of more than 100kph brought down trees along the border of Yvelines and Val-d’Oise yesterday evening.
The A15 road in Val-d'Oise was partially impassable overnight.
Meanwhile, this video, on Le Parisien demonstrates the power of the storm that hit Haute de Seine.
BFMTV has reported that firefighters in Yvelines were called out 447 times for weather-related incidents.
In Charente, storms struck early this morning and firefighters have already responded to more than 100 calls.
No injuries have been reported.
After a short break this morning, more storms are forecast this afternoon.
Overnight national forecaster Météo France issued “orange alerts” to 27 departments - but added a further five this morning to the list this morning.
The Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Picardy, Île-de-France, Haute-Normandie, Centre, Poitou-Charentes regions and the Dordogne, Gironde, Creuse, Landes, Lot-et-Garonne, Pyrénées-Atlantiques and Haute-Vienne departments are affected by forecaster’s current alert.
It has warned that the “violent and strong” storms that have been circulating since yesterday could be accompanied by intense electrical activity, strong winds, heavy rainfall over short periods and hail. It has also warned of less-intense storm cells in the Loire.
Already, it said, windspeeds as high as 130kph have been recorded in Cognac.
Météo France says its current alerts will remain in place until 3am tomorrow.
Image: Météo France
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