'Destructive' tornado rips through southern France posing 'threat to life'

'Destructive' tornado rips through southern France posing 'threat to life' Homes were reportedly destroyed near Carcassonne as severe storms brought damaging winds, large hail and torrential rain to the Aude department. A “destructive” tornado posing a “threat to human life” has swept through an area of southern France popular with British tourists and expats. The meteorological phenomenon took place this afternoon (August 24) and was visible in multiple locations south of Carcassonne in the Aude department. The area is under an amber alert for thunderstorms, with a forecaster warning people to avoid the area. The warning, issued by Météo Languedoc, reads: "TORNADO UNDERWAY ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF CARCASSONNE, AUDE (August 24, 5:15 PM). A supercell is producing a destructive tornado in the Aude department. Sustained ground contact is occurring. Avoid the area; this storm poses a threat to human life!" The terrifying tornado was caught on camera, with multiple witnesses taking to social media to express their concern, accompanied by shocking footage of the phenomenon. Houses were reportedly "completely destroyed" in the Pomas area, a village south of Carcassonne. Hailstones of up to 5cm also hit nearby areas. A French agency for the prevention of dangers caused by weather phenomena said: "Hailstones several centimeters in size, up to 3 to 5 cm, also hit nearby areas. But it was especially the tornado that caused significant damage, including heavily damaged homes and, according to initial reports, houses completely destroyed in the Pomas area." Search and rescue teams are reportedly at the scene, with 58 firefighters and 15 gendarmes deployed. Footage shared on social media showed the dramatic occurrence, with a large grey funnel ripping through the landscape. The Prefect of Aude warned that the region was going to experience "violent" wind gusts ranging between 90 and 120km/h (56 to 74.5 mph). The amber warning was in place until 7pm local time (6pm BST), with storms arriving from the west and moving across the entirety of Aude. The phenomena were described as "particularly intense" by the prefect, with rainfall also reaching 70mm/h.