Violent winds hit France hard on Friday March 10, with very turbulent weather across the country. Nine departments are placed on orange vigilance for strong winds and for “waves-submergence”according to the Météo-France website.
The departments of Alpes-Maritimes, Aude, Hérault, Pyrénées-Orientales, Var and Corsica (North and South) are placed on orange vigilance for strong winds. On the Breton shores, Côtes-d’Armor and Ille-et-Vilaine are on alert for “waves-submergence”. This has been lifted for the departments of Finistère and Morbihan. From midnight, only the Alpes-Maritimes, Var and Corsica will still remain in orange vigilance, and this for the whole day of Saturday, according to the latest map from Météo-France.
Of the “exceptionally strong winds”, which led to the cancellation of the sixth stage of Paris-Nice, which was to link Tourves (Var) to La Colle-sur-Loup (Alpes-Maritimes). The organizers decided to “to preserve the safety of the runners” while the wind has “caused several tree falls in the region” and makes “inevitable the cancellation of the stage”.
The capital’s parks closed
A 31-year-old man and a 30-year-old woman were seriously injured by the fall of a wall in a commercial area of Dury (Somme), according to the prefecture and firefighters. “These two victims are in absolute emergency following polytrauma” and were transported to the University Hospital of Amiens, said a spokesperson for the firefighters to Agence France-Presse (AFP), confirming information from Picard mail.
The winds also caused two minor injuries in the Alpes-Maritimes, according to the emergency services confirming information from Nice morning. In Drap, a woman in her car saw a tree fall on her. She was taken to Pasteur hospital in Nice, firefighters told AFP. In Peymeinade, a worker was hit by an object that flew away. He was treated on the spot.
In Corsica, many school transports were canceled due to gusts reaching 100 to 130 km/h in the east of the island, 130 to 150 km/h on the relief and 150 to 190 km/h from Balagne to Cape Corsica. Closed on Friday, the port of Bastia will remain so on Saturday, announced the prefecture of Haute-Corse, severely disrupting sea crossings to the island. The prefect of Haute-Corse also banned for Friday and Saturday “all open-air cultural or sporting events” or under “marquees, tents and structures”. The use of fire on the island was prohibited until Sunday, the fire risk being considered significant.
🔶 9 departments in Orange https://t.co/bHjUpInnGJ
In Paris, although not appearing in the list of departments placed on vigilance, several parks have been closed as a precaution. Anticipating gusts between “60 km/m and 80 km/h” et “punctually 85 km/h”accompanied by “moderate rainy periods”the City of Paris has decided to close its “green spaces, parks, gardens and cemeteries”. The weather service predicts a “very hectic day” for the whole country, with a wind “strong to very strong”.
The City of Paris also recommends avoiding walks in the forest and exercising caution when traveling. The green spaces of the capital must reopen on Saturday morning, “after the usual checks”.
Tornado in the Creuse
The weather remains very choppy with a strong to very strong westerly wind over most of the country. Gusts reach 70 km / h to 90 km / h in general in most regions, even 100 km / h to 110 km / h near the coast.
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In Creuse, a tornado, which only lasted a few minutes, did significant damage. Roofs torn off, stone walls destroyed, tiles on the road, uprooted trees… the village of Pontarion, a town of 360 inhabitants south of Guéret, bears the scars of the meteorological episode which affected several surrounding towns at the end of the day. THURSDAY. Some inhabitants deprived of electricity heat themselves using their stove and light themselves with candles.
About fifty homes were damaged but no casualties were reported and none of the inhabitants of Pontarion had to be relocated, according to the emergency services.