A powerful tornado struck several areas of the Aude department in southwestern France on Monday, causing widespread destruction, particularly in the village of Pomas.

A total of 41 people were injured as the tornado passed through, while hundreds of homes were damaged.

Pomas, a village of around 1,000 residents located between Carcassonne and Limoux, was hit the hardest. According to initial estimates, around 300 homes were damaged, while in some cases the powerful winds tore entire roofs off buildings.

“More than 120 firefighters are at the scene,” the Aude prefecture announced, adding that reinforcements from neighboring departments were expected and that operations were underway to secure damaged buildings.

Pregnant woman among the injured

Among those injured was a pregnant woman who was hurt when part of her home collapsed on top of her, her husband told Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Videos posted on social media show a powerful vortex moving through several communities in the area.

France’s national weather service, Météo-France, reported that winds reached speeds of 117 kilometers per hour in the nearby village of Arquettes-en-Val.

French authorities had placed large areas of southwestern France under an orange storm warning, while power outages and serious travel disruptions were reported in many areas.

Disruptions to trains, roads and airports

The storms that struck southern France caused major disruptions to the transportation network. Trains were delayed, roads were closed, and flight delays and cancellations were reported at the airports in Bordeaux, Marseille, Nice and Toulouse, as well as Paris, according to Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot.

In Aude, organizers canceled the third stage of the Vuelta a España cycling race taking place in the area after severe hail forced the cyclists to seek shelter.

As of 7:30 p.m., around 2,800 households in ten communities in Aude remained without electricity.

On average, several dozen tornadoes are recorded in France each year. According to Météo-France, it has not yet been established to what extent global warming is affecting the frequency or intensity of such phenomena.