A catastrophic tornado tore through the picturesque village of Pomas, located in southwest France, causing extensive damage to hundreds of homes and injuring 39 residents. Authorities reported that fifteen individuals were hospitalized, with two critical cases. The disaster occurred when winds reaching speeds of 117km/h (73mph) struck the area, tearing off roofs and devastating an estimated 300 houses on Monday. A shocked resident, Pierre, described the tornado as a "huge red and yellow chimney," while another, Chantal, recounted her terrifying experience of her roof collapsing around her. The third stage of the Vuelta a España cycle race was cancelled due to a hail storm, and approximately 2,800 homes across ten villages were left without electricity as a result of the extreme weather conditions. Local authorities had previously issued an orange alert for thunderstorms in large parts of southwest France, which have already resulted in power outages and transportation disruptions. Eyewitness footage captured the swirling vortex of the tornado above houses and trees, while images from Pomas showed uprooted trees, damaged cars, and rubble from destroyed homes. The disaster comes after a summer marked by unprecedented heatwaves and wildfires across Europe, with France's southwest region being one of the worst affected regions. Officials have confirmed that they are not aware of any missing persons at this time. Flight delays and cancellations were reported at airports in Bordeaux, Marseille, Nice, Toulouse, and northern Paris due to the extreme weather conditions. On average, France experiences several dozen tornadoes per year, according to Météo-France, the country's national weather service.