11 departments on alert for storms

AFTER two days of blue sky, sunshine and high temperatures across France, storm clouds are gathering in the west.

Météo-France has placed 11 departments along on orange alert for violent storms starting this evening and continuing into the early hours of tomorrow.

The national forecaster said that, after another day of soaring temperatures, violent storms are expected to hit Loire-Atlantique, Maine-et-Loire, Mayenne, Sarthe, Vendée, Charente, Charente-Maritime, Deux-Sèvres, Vienne, Gironde and Landes.

It warned residents to expect locally heavy rainfall of up to 60mm in an hour, hail and winds of up to 90kph.

It said the overnight storms would mark the beginning of the end of the heatwave across France. Temperatures are expected to fall back to about 22C over the weekend.

Photo: Thomas Bresson