The remnants of Hurricane Kirk swept into western Europe on October 10, 2024, resulting in significant destruction across Portugal and Spain, before unleashing heavy rains in France that led to at least one fatality.
In the Mediterranean, a storm swell near Sete overturned three boats, claiming the life of an amateur sailor and leaving another in critical condition, according to local authorities.
Approximately 64,000 residents in southern France experienced power outages, as reported by network supplier Enedis. Several regions reported roads submerged by floodwaters.
After a crisis response meeting in Paris, Energy and Ecological Transition Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher emphasized the government's commitment to mobilizing all available state services and urged citizens to exercise caution.
“These episodes will have a tendency to recur. We're living at a time when climate change is making itself felt in concrete ways in our daily lives,” she stated.
The Seine-et-Marne department near Paris was placed on red alert for flooding as the Grand Morin river swelled, with 29 other departments also under orange alert due to expected heavy rains and high winds.
In the worst-affected area of Pyrenees-Atlantiques, 35,000 households lost electricity, with additional outages reported in other regions across the southwest and central east of the country.
Weather forecasters had predicted that the storm would deliver a month's worth of rain to various parts of France, including the capital.