Two dead after thunderstorms hit France, tens of thousands without power
Severe Thunderstorms Cause Fatalities and Power Outages Across France
PARIS, July 17 (Reuters) - At least two people died as violent thunderstorms hit France overnight following a prolonged heatwave, and 53,000 households were left without power on Friday, French authorities said.
Fatalities Reported in Different Regions
Woman Killed by Falling Tree in Saint-Victurnien
• One woman died after a tree fell on her in Saint-Victurnien, in the central Haute-Vienne department on Thursday evening, the local mayor said, confirming an AFP report.
Man Dies in Lightning-Induced Fire in Dolomieu
• A man was found dead late on Thursday in a workshop that caught fire after being struck by lightning in Dolomieu to the east, the Isere Prefecture said.
Widespread Power Outages and Weather Updates
Power Cuts Affect Tens of Thousands of Households
• Grid operator Enedis said 53,000 households were left without power, with cuts mainly affecting the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes area in the southeast and the Nouvelle-Aquitaine in the southwest.
Weather Conditions Improve After Storms
• Strong winds, with hail in some areas, subsided later on Friday, and weather service Météo-France lifted an orange alert across southeastern France.
Reporting and Editing Credits
(Reporting by Dominique Vidalon; Editing by Sharon Singleton, Andrei Khalip and Andrew Heavens)
