One person was killed and four others are fighting for life after a tornado tore through a town near Paris, toppling three construction cranes.
The freak weather event struck Ermont in Val d’Oise, around 13 miles north-east of the French capital on Monday.
One crane came crashing down on a clinic.
Interior minister Laurent Nunez, who labelled it as a storm of “sudden and rare intensity”, said he was monitoring the situation closely, adding that at least nine people had been rushed to hospital on Monday.
Regional prosecutor Guirec Le Bras said the person who died was a 23-year-old construction worker.
Videos posted on social media showed cranes swaying violently in the wind before falling down, one after the other, as rocks and wood swirled through the air.
Numerous roofs were torn off and cars left overturned with multiple power outages reported in the area.
Eighty firefighters, 50 police officers and 20 SAMU medical staff were mobilised.
According to local news the White Plan has been activated at Simone-Veil Hospital in Éaubonne, which allows the hospital to enact emergency measures in light of an influx of patients.
🔴 ALERTE INFO - #Ermont : Un épisode de vent violent a eu lieu.
— FLASH INFO Ile-de-France (@info_Paris_IDF) October 20, 2025
👉 Une tornade a frappé la ville. Une personne est décédée et quatre autres sont grièvement blessées. Le centre opérationnel départemental est activé. (AFP/Préfet) #ValdOise pic.twitter.com/RA5DsYmU09
Mr Nunez wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “A sudden and rare intensity tornado episode struck several municipalities in the Val d’Oise, causing the death of one person and seriously injuring several others.
“I am following the situation closely and express my support to the elected officials, the rescuers on site, and the affected residents.
“I extend my condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased victim.”
