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Violent Tornado Devastates Pomas, Aude

Authorities have shifted from rescue to recovery with structural audits, temporary roof coverings, emergency shelter and power restoration after roughly 300 homes were damaged and dozens injured.

Overview

  • A violent tornado struck the village of Pomas on Monday, 24 August at about 17:20, tearing off roofs, blowing out walls and blocking roads with debris.
  • The prefecture’s latest tally records about 39 injured people, including two in life‑threatening condition, and no reported deaths or missing persons.
  • Officials say roughly 300 dwellings were damaged and about 100 are being evaluated as potentially uninhabitable, leaving many families displaced and two emergency shelters opened.
  • More than 120 firefighters and multiple regional units remain on scene carrying out deblayage, building audits, temporary bâchage of roofs, site security and staged power restorations by Enedis.
  • Meteorologists link the event to a particularly intense supercell during a Météo‑France orange thunderstorm warning with gusts up to 117 km/h, and authorities warn short‑term recovery will include structural safety checks, local official visits and longer reconstruction work.