France is no stranger to violent and deadly thunderstorms, but what should you do if forecasters issue a severe storm warning where you live?
France’s weather forecaster Météo France issues fairly regular warnings about thunderstorms – usually at the orange level (be vigilant) but sometimes on the highest level red warning (danger to life).
But even an orange warning should be taken seriously – thunderstorms can, and do, kill.
READ ALSO Explained: How France’s weather warning system works
A woman was taken to hospital with serious injuries after a tree fell on a caravan at a campsite during a thunderstorm in the Landes département on Tuesday night, while a young woman in Paris died the previous week, also after being hit by a falling tree.
Advertisement
In May, three people died when violent storms struck the southern département of Var, two of them were a couple in their 80s whose car was swept away. That was a day after flash floods in the south-west flooded railway lines as a month-and-a-half’s rainfall siled down in a matter of hours.
Anyone living and working in départements under a storm warning is urged to be “very vigilant”, due to the risk of violent phenomena such as hail, strong winds, heavy rain, and electrical activity.
Typically storms bring with them high winds, very heavy rain which can cause flash flooding, sometimes hail and ‘intense’ electrical activity.
READ ALSO Episode cévenol to tempête – what you need to know about French storms
During orange and red weather alerts, préfectures and town halls will use local and social media to issue regular advice and updates on staying safe, based on the conditions at the time.
But, what do authorities in France recommend residents do when a thunderstorm warning is in place?
Thunderstorms can be violent and sudden, with serious consequences, Météo France warned, citing lightning strikes, injuries from falling objects, flooded roads, and large hail stones.
It recommends that, when a storm strikes, people in affected areas:
- Stay away from trees and waterways;
- Shelter in a substantial building;
- Stay informed and avoid unnecessary travel;
- Protect property that is exposed to the wind or may be flooded;
- Avoid using their phone and electrical appliances wherever possible.
If the storm brings with it heavy rain, remain alert for the possibility of flash flooding and never drive into a flooded area on the road – the most common cause of death in storms is people getting swept away in their vehicles.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
