Nord–Pas-de-Calais hit by mini-tornadoes, heavy damage, especially near Bapaume – La Voix du Nord

The Hauts-de-France were hit this Sunday evening by small tornadoes, causing great damage, especially in Bihucourt, south of Bapaume. This Sunday evening, bad weather affected the Nord and Pas-de-Calais. The Pas-de-Calais prefecture describes the phenomenon as “strong gusts of tornado-type winds”, and recalls that these violent winds particularly affected the Bapaume sector, in the south of Arrageois, in the early evening. Bihucourt was particularly affected: a tornado formed in this village near Bapaume, this Sunday evening, around 7 p.m. There are, fortunately, no victims, but the phenomenon has ravaged the town: half of the inhabitants, or some 200 people, will have to be rehoused, and the reconstruction promises to be long. All were collected by relatives, announces the prefecture. According to Mayor Benoît Caille, “80% of the town is affected. Some houses are razed, the walls have collapsed. It is as if bombs had fallen on Bihucourt. It will take months to rebuild everything. “Not far from there, in Hendecourt-lès-Cagnicourt, the prefecture of Pas-de-Calais indicates that about fifty houses as well as a farm were damaged. Two families have been relocated with relatives. In Mory, an agricultural building collapsed. Damage in the North and in the Somme In the North too, strong winds affected several municipalities. In Thun-Saint-Amand, in Valenciennes, the storm that hit this Sunday evening, around 7:40 p.m., did not last more than five minutes, but created considerable damage, since a mini- tornado passed, blowing roofs in its path, tearing down telephone poles, flickering chimneys and blowing windows, rue Matez and Cité du Maroc. In the Douaisis, a tornado also hit Warlaing, and more particularly rue Firmaine. “We never experienced that in Warlaing. The tornado swept away roofs and trees fell on the road, cars were damaged… said Mayor Patrice Bricout. Fortunately, there was no accident. In addition to Warlaing, Arleux, Bugnicourt, Roucourt, Masny, Erchin, Lewarde, Bruille-lez-Marchiennes and Somain were overflown by the storm, leaving behind significant damage and power cuts. “It was all over in a very short time. And all of a sudden, it went black! My wife was very scared. “, said this Sunday evening a resident of Erchin. Read also Two tornadoes in Hauts-de-France: how did they form? A stormy line crossed all Hauts-de-France from the Somme to the Belgian border. In the Somme, it was the village of Conty, south of Amiens, which was the most affected. The school of the town no longer has a roof, like several houses, but no injuries are to be deplored, report our colleagues from Courrier Picard. On the A1, this Sunday evening, the situation was complicated: (very) gray sky, rain, huge lightning… a situation which made driving difficult for motorists and notably caused an accident involving a heavy goods vehicle in Croisilles, near the town of Saint-Léger in the Lille/Paris direction. “The East and the North of France suffered heavy storms. Several municipalities in Pas-de-Calais affected by a tornado, causing significant damage. Violent bad weather in the Somme. Solidarity with the inhabitants of the affected municipalities”, tweeted this Sunday evening Gérald Darmanin, the Minister of the Interior from the region. The five departments of Hauts-de-France are still placed in storm yellow vigilance this Monday morning. The North prefecture recalls that “strong winds are still expected (…) until the middle of the day” this Monday and calls to be attentive and to remain vigilant.