Two people, including a child, died in a violent storm that lashed France overnight, emergency services said on Thursday, June 26. The violent downpour late Wednesday injured 17 others, one seriously, France’s emergency services added. In southern France, a falling tree killed a 12-year-old boy, while a man on a quad bike died after crashing into another that had been brought down by the storm.
In the capital, the sky turned an eerie yellow hue as lightning flashed above the Sacré-Cœur cathedral and fierce winds sent Parisians rushing for cover. Meanwhile, rain leaked through the roof of the Assemblée Nationale, forcing lawmakers to suspend talks on conflict in the Middle East. “It’s raining in the chamber (…) I repeat: it’s raining in the chamber,” wrote MP Maud Petit on her X account.
The storms followed a sweltering heatwave with temperatures passing 35°C. It brought gusts of wind exceeding 100 kilometers per hour, which damaged property. More extreme heat is expected over the weekend and into early next week.
Nearly 100,000 homes were still left without electricity on Thursday, mainly in central France, emergency services said. “Trees blocking roads, damage to infrastructure and homes, flooding and power outages have been reported,” it said.