Storms leave trail of damage in south-west France
Trees uprooted and motorway drivers shelter under bridges to avoid powerful hail
Damage was recorded across several departments. Photo for illustrative purposes only
Flystock/Shutterstock
Powerful storms battered south-west France at the start of the week, damaging homes and other buildings and bringing traffic to a standstill.
Successive violent storms have been hitting areas between the Pyrénées and Massif Central mountain ranges since the weekend, bringing thunder and hail alongside heavy rain.
On Monday (May 4), a powerful storm passed through Haute-Garonne, damaging a school in the Rieux-Volvestre commune.
Hail damaged the roof of two preschool classrooms, causing water to pour in while children were still inside.
“Water came rushing in. We evacuated the children to a safe area before taking care of all the equipment,” teacher Patrice Rey told FranceInfo.
Alongside the classrooms, damage was caused to toilets and a utility room.
“The ceilings are absolutely saturated, soaked with water. And, gradually, the panels are collapsing,” said the commune’s mayor Maryse Vézat-Baronia.
Videos below show the aftermath of the damage, as well as the impact of the storm elsewhere in the commune.
Dozens of trees were also uprooted in the department, blocking roads, and power cuts impacted homes across the region.
“We're trying to reopen the roads and, above all, restore power to residents who have been without electricity since the storm,” said staff member at the Cazères mairie Mathieu Sébastien on Tuesday (May 5).
Around 50km south of the commune more than a dozen emergency calls were made to pompiers in the Saint-Gaudens commune during the hailstorm, as several properties were flooded.
“In 43 years, this is the third time [our property has flooded]. There's nothing we can do about it,” said resident Yvette to TF1.
During previous episodes, she brought her belongings from the basement to higher levels, but the fierceness of the most recent storm saw the room destroyed in a few minutes.
More storms expected this week
Elsewhere, hail battered the Ariège department. One horticulturalist estimates the damage to his greenhouses and garden as €10,000.
The A64 motorway was impacted by a brief but extreme hailstorm on Monday evening, which saw vehicles stop underneath bridges to avoid the powerful hail.
Heavy storms were also recorded in the south-west on Tuesday, although with resulting damage.
The area should face respite today (May 6), with only light rain forecast.
However, powerful storms and heavy rain are expected further east in the Cévennes valley, potentially bringing disturbances along the Rhône Valley.
Further storms may hit south-west later in the week.
