Severe Thunderstorms Cause Disruptions in Southwest France
On Monday, May 19, the **Southwest** region of France experienced intense **thunderstorms** and heavy **rains** that resulted in significant disruptions. The situation escalated to such an extent that **Météo-France** issued an *orange alert* for multiple departments, including **Dordogne**, **Lot-et-Garonne**, **Lot**, **Tarn-et-Garonne**, **Tarn**, and **Haute-Garonne**. This extreme weather not only led to flooded roads but also prompted necessary interventions from local **firefighters**, who carried out hundreds of operations to manage the crisis.
In a particularly troubling development, several **schools** had to be evacuated due to the severe conditions. One of the most notable incidents involved a **TGV** train, which became stranded in the middle of the evening due to the flooding. A total of 507 passengers were evacuated from the train and transferred by bus to a municipal hall in **Tonneins**. According to the **Lot-et-Garonne prefecture**, this large-scale rescue effort took place between **11 p.m. and 1 a.m.**, involving over sixty personnel including **firefighters**, **gendarmes**, and volunteers from the **Red Cross**.
Moreover, an intercity train traveling from **Toulouse** to **Paris** was also blocked overnight in **Agen**, stemming from the same incident. Passengers aboard this train were forced to return to **Toulouse** by bus early Tuesday morning to catch alternative services to Paris. A spokesperson for the **SNCF** confirmed that train operations between **Agen** and **Marmande** would remain suspended for “at least several days,” impacting the **TGV** services between **Bordeaux** and **Toulouse**.
Continuing Thunderstorms in the Mediterranean Region
As the **heavy rainfall** began to subside overnight from Monday to Tuesday, Météo-France reported a significant accumulation of precipitation in various areas. Specific figures indicated that **Lavaur** received 68 millimeters (mm) of rain, while **Saint-Félix-Lauragais** measured 80 mm. Other notable totals included 78 mm in both **Prayssas** and **Montauban**, with **Puycelsi** experiencing a staggering 106 mm of rainfall.
For Tuesday, Météo-France maintained its orange alert for **rainfall and thunderstorms** in the **Var** department. Forecasters warned that the thunderstorms might produce exceptionally high rain intensities, ranging from 80 mm to 120 mm within just three hours. In their latest bulletin, published at 6 a.m., Météo-France assured residents that the **heavy rains** in the Southwest were diminishing, though they now expected organized thunderstorms in the **Mediterranean** region, particularly along the **Paca coast** on Tuesday morning. This prompted heightened concerns for potential severe weather in those areas.
“Thunderstorms are expected this Tuesday morning from **Gard** to **Alpes-Maritimes**. While the precise intensity remains uncertain, conditions could include **hail** and strong gusts, yielding rain accumulations of around 30 mm or even higher in certain locations,” noted the Meteorological Institute. The warning issued further emphasized that an escalation in vigilance levels was a possibility for coastal departments adjacent to the **Var** and **Gard**.