On Thursday, February 12th, the storm “Nils” swept through the southern region of France, resulting in one fatality and approximately 900,000 households experiencing power outages.
Reports from various media outlets indicated that accompanied by strong winds exceeding 160 kilometers per hour, “Nils” swept through multiple regions in France on Thursday. The heavy rain caused the Garonne River to overflow, submerging streets in cities like Toulouse. As a result, some schools were closed, evacuations were carried out in certain areas, and the operation of numerous roads and railways was severely affected.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced on social media that the storm led to the death of a truck driver in the Landes department, with another individual sustaining serious injuries. He urged the public to remain vigilant and minimize unnecessary outings.
On Thursday, the French electricity grid company announced that around 900,000 households in southern France were left without power due to the impact of storm “Nils.” Among them, the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in the southwest was the most severely affected, with approximately 485,000 households experiencing power cuts, while the Occitanie region had around 318,000 households affected.
According to information released by the French meteorological agency on Thursday, four provinces were under red weather alerts, and 32 provinces were under orange alerts. The agency cautioned the public to be prepared for strong winds and related secondary disasters, noting that the storm’s intensity was “rare.”
Weather forecasts indicate that conditions in southern France will improve starting from Friday, February 13th. However, most parts of the country are expected to continue experiencing overcast and rainy weather.