Storm Nils Batters France: Three Dead, Historic Floods, and Massive Power Cuts

A Rare and Destructive Storm Sweeps Across France

France is reeling from the impact of Storm Nils, a violent weather system that swept through the country this week, leaving three people dead, causing historic flooding, and cutting power to nearly one million households.
Météo-France has described Nils as a storm of “exceptional intensity”, exceeding even their most severe forecasts.

Power Outages Leave Regions in the Dark

At the storm’s height, more than 900,000 homes were without electricity, particularly across Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Occitanie.
By Friday morning, Enedis, the national electricity distributor, reported about 450,000 homes still disconnected.

The company has mobilised 3,000 workers, including 2,100 field technicians, to restore power as quickly as possible. “It’s a situation we rarely face — the scale is truly exceptional,” said Hervé Champenois, director of crisis operations at Enedis.

Fatalities and Flooding: Nils’ Human Toll

The storm’s victims underline its deadly power:

A 55-year-old driver in the Landes was struck by a falling tree branch.
An elderly man in Tarn-et-Garonne was killed while clearing debris in his garden.
A 63-year-old man was found dead inside his submerged car in Loire-Atlantique.
In Spain, a 46-year-old woman also lost her life as the storm crossed the border.

The government confirmed at least five people seriously injured and 21 others lightly wounded in related incidents.

Historic Crises Along the Garonne River

The Garonne Valley suffered some of the most severe flooding in decades.
Both Gironde and Lot-et-Garonne departments remain on red alert for extreme river flooding.
According to the Vigicrues monitoring service:

Water levels in the Garonne rose two metres in just 24 hours.
“Damaging overflows are ongoing, and levels will continue to increase,” warned forecasters.
Communities like La Réole and Marmande are preparing for peak flooding as river crests are expected into the weekend.

Agriculture Takes a Brutal Hit

Beyond homes and towns, France’s farmlands have taken a heavy blow.
In the Pyrénées-Orientales, winds reaching up to 180 km/h flattened fields of artichokes and uprooted fruit trees.
The local Chamber of Agriculture described catastrophic losses:

Artichoke fields completely flattened or broken off at the stem.
Olive, peach, and apricot trees uprooted or crushed by falling debris.
Damage beyond repair just days before the harvest season.

In the Gers, Haute-Garonne, and Hautes-Pyrénées, all public forests are now closed to visitors due to the high risk of falling trees.

France Braces for More Rain Ahead

Though Storm Nils has now moved eastward toward central Europe, the crisis is far from over.
Vigicrues warns that saturated soils and new rain systems could worsen flooding in the coming days.
Emergency crews remain on high alert, and regional authorities urge residents to stay cautious and avoid unnecessary travel.

This storm serves as a stark reminder of how increasingly unpredictable and destructive Europe’s weather patterns have become. For many parts of France, recovery will take weeks — if not months.