Tornado tears through French village, leaving dozens hurt and homes ravaged

Local sub-prefect Emmanuelle Plantier-Lemarchand told French radio that she was not aware of anyone missing. She lowered the number of victims from 41 to 39, and said 15 of them had been treated in hospital."I heard this massive noise... then I saw everything flying around in the air and my roof collapsed over my head," shocked resident Chantal told French radio. "I've got no house left, that's for sure... I was really scared. I thought that's it, this my final hour."Tim de Waele/Getty ImagesCyclists in the Vuelta a España race had to seek shelter in a hotel when they were hit by a hailstormFrench authorities had issued an orange alert for thunderstorms in large parts of the country's south-west, which have already been hit by power outages and transport disruptions.Eyewitness footage from the region captured the swirling vortex of the tornado looming in the horizon above houses and trees.Images from the small village of Pomas, which was the hardest hit, showed uprooted trees, damaged cars and rubble from destroyed homes.AFP via Getty ImagesThree hundred homes were damaged by the tornado in PomasMeanwhile there were flight delays and cancellations at airports in Bordeaux, Marseille, Nice, Toulouse and north of Paris to the north, said Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot.