Severe thunderstorms hit southwest France, cut power to 7,500 homes

Severe thunderstorms caused widespread disruption in southwestern France overnight, particularly in the Landes department, where thousands of households lost electricity and emergency crews were called out repeatedly to deal with fires, flooding and debris blocking roads.

Landes hit by widespread storm damage

The Landes prefecture reported substantial damage across roughly 20 municipalities after the storms moved through the region. Emergency responders carried out more than 150 operations during the night as they dealt with weather-related incidents ranging from forest fires and flooding to trees brought down across roads.

Around 7,500 households were left without power during the storm. Firefighters also reported two people sustaining minor injuries as the severe weather passed through southwestern France.

Peyrehorade opens emergency shelter

Peyrehorade was among the communities most seriously affected. Local authorities opened an emergency shelter for about 30 residents as the storm disrupted normal life in the municipality, according to the prefecture.

Road travel was also significantly affected around Peyrehorade. Rail services on the Dax-Hendaye route were suspended, adding to the disruption caused by fallen trees, flooding and damaged infrastructure.

More storms forecast across France

France’s national weather service issued an orange thunderstorm warning for 18 departments on Monday. Forecasters expected further severe weather, including powerful wind gusts, hail and frequent lightning.

The latest warnings indicate that storm-related risks remain elevated across parts of France, with emergency services continuing to monitor areas vulnerable to flooding, falling trees and power disruptions.