“There was a mini-tornado in the Conty sector, with a lot of material damage, and a situation update is being carried out, but at this stage, no victims” are to be deplored, indicated to AFP the prefecture of the Somme.
«Several infrastructures and homes were damaged» in this town and that of Ô-de-Selle, she later clarified, counting «about sixty buildings» in total. «Ten homes must be relocated» and «several dozen» others have been deprived of electricity.
The Pas-de-Calais firefighters for their part report «a major weather phenomenon located in the town of Bihucourt in particular», but also «the towns of Ervillers and Hendecourt-lès-Cagnicourt» around 7:00 p.m.
«We have about thirty interventions, about forty houses impacted, some of which had the roof torn off», they detailed, without using the word «tornado». «Many firefighters are on site to protect property,» they said.
In a situation report around 9:00 p.m., the Pas-de-Calais prefecture specifies that this «episode of violent winds» caused «one minor injury», cut off traffic in Ervillers and caused «an accident involving a heavy goods vehicle on the ‘A1, at the level of the commune of Saint Léger».
In Bihucourt, it required «the relocation of around 150 inhabitants. The mayor opened the village hall to be able to take care of the inhabitants. Trees and electric poles fell on the road, presenting a danger», continues- she.
Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin reacted on Twitter, expressing his «solidarity with the inhabitants of the affected municipalities», and describing the phenomenon as a «tornado» in Pas-de-Calais.
The northern prefecture also reported, on Twitter, «electricity cuts».
«Trees and poles» fell to the ground in several municipalities, without causing any casualties, according to the firefighters of the North. Several interventions were notably underway in Masny, Wandignies-Hamage, Thun-Saint-Amand, or Hazebrouck.
The storms were also violent in the Eure, where the firefighters reported «62 interventions», requiring the relocation of 5 adults and 5 children. They also mentioned 4 interventions for «threat of fire or explosion» and four falls of electric cables.
The Somme, the North, the Pas-de-Calais and the Eure were placed on Sunday in yellow vigilance for thunderstorms by Météo France, while 20 other departments were on «orange» vigilance.
Météo France had warned of the risk of «violent gusts of wind that can exceed 100 km / h, large hail and high intensities of precipitation».
The end of this stormy episode is expected overnight from Sunday to Monday.