Mini-tornado in northern France damages dozens of homes and leaves person injured

Footage showed the skies darkening over the northern French villages as the mini tornado hit
Footage posted on social media showed the mini tornado over northern France
Robin G / Twitter
Josh Salisbury24 October 2022

A mini tornado hit villages near the Calais region in northern France on Sunday, leaving one person injured and dozens of homes damaged.

Footage and pictures posted on social media showed a huge black cloud swirling up in the form of a tornado above the skies of Bihucourt.

The local authority for the Pas-de-Calais said one person suffered “light injuries” and that the tornado had caused extensive damage to some homes and infrastructure in the area.

Separately, around 50 homes were damaged in nearby Hendecourt-lès-Cagnicourt, forcing two families to be relocated, while electricity was also disrupted.

The tornado also caused a farm yard building in the Mory commune to collapse, according to French media.

The local authority said in a statement on Sunday night: “The situation is under control. The gendarmes will ensure a continuous presence throughout the night in the affected municipalities.”

“I thought we were going to die with my boyfriend,” one resident told French media.

“It rumbled everywhere with the continuous sound of thunder. An hour after the tornado swept over my house, I was still shaking.

Another said: “It’s like being sucked in. At one point, we thought it was hail that was falling but it was actually the tiles from the neighbour’s shed that had flown away”.

Jacques Billant, who represents the Pas-de-Calais region, has visited the town of Bapaume to witness the destruction.

French interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, said: “The East and North of France suffered heavy storms.

“Several municipalities in Pas-de-Calais affected by a tornado, causing significant damage. Violent bad weather in the Somme. Solidarity with the inhabitants of the affected municipalities.”

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