Exceptional Mediterranean Storm Floods Gard and Hérault, Tornadic Funnels Reported

Overview

• Heavy, concentrated storms produced extreme local totals, with Météo‑France recording up to 335 mm at Saint‑Hippolyte‑du‑Fort and 299 mm at Colognac.
• Vigicrues warned of rapid floods on the Lez, Vidourle and Vistre, and several rivers rose fast enough to overflow roads and submerge bridges.
• At least one funnel touchdown was filmed near Aigues‑Mortes with eyewitness reports suggesting a second vortex, both linked to supercell thunderstorms.
• Emergency services carried out dozens of rescues and evacuations and local authorities closed schools and public venues, while train and tram services remained suspended into Thursday midday.
• Météo‑France and Vigicrues downgraded most alerts to yellow by Thursday morning, but officials warn clean‑up, infrastructure checks and local disruptions will continue and damage assessments are ongoing.