A powerful storm named Nils swept through southern France, northern Spain, and parts of Portugal on Thursday, leaving destruction in its wake and causing widespread power outages and flooding.
In southern France alone, around 450,000 households were left without electricity, according to operator Enedis, a day after the storm tore through the region, uprooting trees and submerging roads.
High winds and heavy rain disrupted daily life across the affected regions, forcing the cancellation of flights, trains, and ferries, while road travel became dangerous.
Tragically, a truck driver in France was killed when a tree smashed through his windscreen. In Spain, dozens sustained injuries due to weather-related incidents, and in Portugal, flooding caused a viaduct to partially collapse.
Enedis mobilized 3,000 personnel to restore electricity, reporting that 50% of affected households had power restored by early Friday morning. Enedis crisis director Herve Champenois noted that flooded fields and blocked roads were slowing repair efforts.
Residents described the storm’s intensity with shock. Ingrid, a florist from Perpignan, told AFP, “I’ve never seen anything like it. A tree almost fell on my car — two seconds more, and it would have.” Meanwhile, Eugenie Ferrier from Roaillan near Bordeaux added, “During the night, you could hear tiles lifting, rubbish bins rolling down the street — it was crazy.”
Although forecasters reported that the storm had moved eastwards away from French territory by Thursday, some areas remain on alert for flooding. Authorities continue to monitor conditions as cleanup and recovery efforts are underway.
