Destructive flooding strikes French and Swiss Alps

Destructive flooding strikes French and Swiss Alps

Heavy rainfall and snowmelt caused catastrophic flooding in the French and Swiss Alps on June 11, 2024. In the French village of La Berarde, 97 people were stranded, and in Switzerland’s Zermatt, the Mattervispa river flooded the town center.

Tornado sweeps through Carlepont, Oise, damaging 44 buildings, France

Tornado sweeps through Carlepont, Oise, damaging 44 buildings, France

A damaging tornado swept through the village of Carlepont in the Oise department, France, on June 18, 2024, damaging 44 buildings and 2 powerlines. Forty firefighters and 15 engines were deployed to the scene to assess the damage.

Storm Monica hits France with very heavy rains

Storm Monica hits France with very heavy rains

Storm Monica swept across France on March 8 and 9, 2024, bringing very heavy rain to the country’s southeast where some areas recorded more than 300 mm (11.8 inches) of rain in 48 hours.

Storm Ciarán hits Western Europe with record-breaking winds, causing deaths and widespread damage

Storm Ciarán hits Western Europe with record-breaking winds, causing deaths and widespread damage

Storm Ciarán — the 5th named and the most powerful storm of the 2023/24 European windstorm season — wreaked havoc across Western Europe on November 2, 2023, with record winds reaching 200 km/h (124 mph), leading to floods, blackouts, and major disruptions. Ciarán underwent explosive cyclogenesis, affecting Western Europe and culminating in numerous fatalities, record-breaking wind speeds, and extensive power outages.

Record number of dolphin strandings reported along France’s Atlantic coast

Record number of dolphin strandings reported along France’s Atlantic coast

France’s Atlantic coast has been the site of an unprecedented number of dolphin strandings this winter, with over 910 dolphins washing up since the start of the season. The majority of the marine mammals have shown injuries consistent with entanglement in fishing nets, other fishing equipment, or boat engines.

Tornado rips through village in central France, causing significant damage

Tornado rips through village in central France, causing significant damage

A tornado tore through the village of Pontarion in Creuse, central France, around 17:00 LT on Thursday, March 9, 2023, leaving behind a trail of destruction to infrastructure and buildings. The violent weather caused significant damage to a number of houses, leaving roofs and windows shattered, while telephone lines were also damaged.