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Two people have died in France as a result of severe thunderstorms, and more than 50,000 have been left without electricity

Two people have died in France as a result of severe thunderstorms, and more than 50,000 have been left without electricity

17 July 2026, 18:17

Two people have died in France as a result of severe thunderstorms, and more than 50,000 have been left without electricity — Bad weather in France, 16 July

On the night of 17 July, severe thunderstorms were reported in France, resulting in the deaths of at least two people. In addition, tens of thousands of households across various regions of the country were left without electricity.

This has been reported by Euronews and Reuters.

One woman died after a tree fell on her during the storm. Another man died in a workshop when lightning struck the building, causing a fire.

According to Enedis, the French electricity network operator, around 53,000 households remain without power. The power cuts have mainly affected the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in the south-east and Nouvelle-Aquitaine in the south-west of the country.

The national meteorological service, Météo-France, has now lifted the ‘orange’ alert in all the affected departments.

Earlier, forecasters had warned of strong gusty winds and large hailstones across an area stretching from the Massif Central to the Alps.

It is worth recalling that a heatwave has swept across Europe, with record-breaking temperatures in some places. The weather has already led to deaths among the elderly and an increase in the number of drowning victims, as people seek relief from the heat in rivers and lakes.

In France, three nuclear reactors were temporarily shut down due to the heatwave, whilst a large-scale forest fire was being brought under control in the Fontainebleau Forest near Paris.

According to the country’s National Public Health Agency, around 1,000 more people than expected have died since 24 June due to the extreme heat. Meteorologists reported that temperatures reached 40°C in some parts of Europe.

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