Storm Alex: record winds, damage and 80,000 homes without electricity

Storm Alex continues to rage in France this Friday.

It still affects the west of the country while causing a Mediterranean episode in the south-east.

Update on the situation.

14 departments on alert, red vigilance in the Alpes-Maritimes.

Météo France has placed 14 departments on alert due to bad weather caused by storm Alex on Friday.

The Alpes-Maritimes are in red vigilance (level 4 out of 4) because of the rain and floods.

Storm Alex causes a violent Mediterranean episode from the middle of the day.

Accumulations of up to 250 mm to 300 mm are expected in less than 24 hours, or up to 300 liters per square meter.

🔴 1 deposit in #vigilanceRouge

🔶 13 deposits in #vigilanceOrange

Stay informed on https://t.co/rJ24zzmmy4 pic.twitter.com/glzrknSeB9

- VigiMeteoFrance (@VigiMeteoFrance) October 2, 2020

In addition, 13 departments of the North-West, East and South-East are in orange vigilance (level 3 out of 4) due to rain, floods, thunderstorms, floods, wind and / or waves.

Caution is finally required in most of the country with extensive yellow vigilance (level 2 out of 3).

More details in our article dedicated to the various vigilances in progress.

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Up to 186 km / h at Belle-Île-en-Mer and 135 km / h at Sarzeau.

At sea, a gust of 186 km / h was recorded at Belle-Île-en-Mer, in Morbihan.

On land, the wind rose to 135 km / h at Sarzeau, in the same department.

An isolated gust of 129 km / h was recorded in Cholet (Maine-et-Loire).

Risk of tornado in the Southeast.

Between the Bouches-du-Rhône and the Alpes-Maritimes, Keraunos warns of the risk of a tornado during the Mediterranean episode.

The French Observatory for Tornadoes and Severe Thunderstorms assesses the risk between 30% and 45%, a fairly high percentage.

The percentage decreases as it moves away from the area.

In the Southwest, a low probability also exists.

Keraunos  

At least 80,000 homes without electricity.

At least 80,000 homes are without power, or around 175,000 people.

This total concerns the only department of Morbihan, according to data provided by the prefecture.

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Damage, but no casualties.

Storm Alex claimed no casualties.

Many relief interventions take place.

In Morbihan alone, which was in red vigilance, "980 firefighters, 65 gendarmes, 28 police officers, 57 soldiers from the civil security intervention unit (UIISC) and 3 civil protection associations were mobilized" , let the prefecture know.

“The departmental fire and rescue service (SDIS) carried out 210 interventions between 10 pm and 5 am this morning.

For their part, the gendarmerie recorded 16 interventions and the national police 12. ”

Many trees have fallen, several roads are cut.

Train traffic is disrupted;

maritime links are also interrupted in places.

In Vannes (Morbihan), the roof of the Notre-Dame de Ménimur school was torn off.