Destructive storms bring giant hail, tornado and flooding to parts of France

Severe storms pummeled parts of France over the weekend into Monday, June 21, 2021, bringing flooding rain, giant hailstones, and a tornado that resulted in damages and one person missing. Around 44 000 lightning strikes were recorded.
In Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, a tornado inflicted damage to a chuch in Indre-et-Loire village. Fallen stoneworks collapsed into cars underneath, smashing windscreens. Trees and vines were also ravaged. No injuries were reported.
In Vercel-Villedieu-le-Camp, hailstones the size of tennis balls wrecked through car windows. Heavy rains triggered flooding while strong winds caused material damage in Essonne in Ile-de-France, and in Reims, Grand Est.
Widespread flooding submerged roads in the northeastern city of Reims as downpours continued. Power outages also occurred in some areas.
According to Reuters, which dubbed the storm's aftermath as France's "darkest day" — around 44 000 lightning strikes were recorded during the storm's onslaught.
An 18-year-old man remains missing as of Tuesday morning, June 22, according to local news Courrier Picard. Fire services had to attend to 400 calls for emergency.
More storms are forecast to sweep the country on Tuesday, Meteo France warned.
#MétéoDeDemain
Soleil près de la #Méditerranée
Ciel chargé parfois pluvieux sur le #NordOuest, vent #NordEst marqué
Ailleurs temps instable, averses orageuses l’après-midi
T°C en baisse, 15-16°C près des côtes de la #Manche, 19-28°C ailleurs
Toulouse (31), @infoclimat pic.twitter.com/hsa460pekK— Météo-France (@meteofrance) June 21, 2021
#Grêle du côté de Payrin-Augmontel dans le #Tarn.
Myriam Cros#Orage #meteo #vigilancejaune pic.twitter.com/0oUVkbkoLX
— Météo-France (@meteofrance) June 21, 2021
Des cellules orageuses parfois fortes ont de nouveau circulé la nuit dernière sur le #Languedoc
12.3 mm en 12 mm à Cardet #Gard
Brusques rafales sous les grains 87 km/h à Marcoule et 103 km/h au Mont #Aigoual@CCChrispic à Restinclières (Hérault) via @infoclimat pic.twitter.com/orbPKEr9vf
— Météo-France Sud-Est (@MeteoFrance_SE) June 22, 2021
Poursuite de l'instabilité avec des #orages ce #mardi dans de nombreuses régions.
Forts orages ce midi, comme ici sur #IledeFrance.Soyez vigilants !
#ValdeMarne @ehtsham1094#vigilance #meteo pic.twitter.com/GXiNbmourU
— Météo-France (@meteofrance) June 22, 2021
La puissance du courant est inouïe. Des voitures emportées par les eaux à Reims. #inondations #orages pic.twitter.com/Rey8UKg36w
— Damien Canivez (@DCanivez) June 21, 2021
[EN IMAGE] Vercel-Villedieu-le-Camp (Doubs), village détruit par des grêlons géants
Je me suis rendu sur place pour constater les importants dégâts et pour venir en aide aux habitants… Certaines grêlons auront atteint 10cm !
Les habitants sont sous le choc… pic.twitter.com/BhzmVets36
— Météo Franc-Comtoise (@Meteo_FC_) June 19, 2021
Les images de la tornade en Indre-et-Loire ce samedi pic.twitter.com/U7JqG1w0PQ
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) June 19, 2021
Featured image credit: Meteo France
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