Nine departments of southern France are orange alert for strong winds until 4pm on Monday. This Sunday, the storm “Marcel” has caused no major damage but almost 56 000 homes were still without electricity in the afternoon.
After the storm Leiv, there is now a new depression and storm Marcel, with gusts up to 141 km/h, the Southwest has been battered this Sunday, where 11 departments were on orange alert for strong winds, and near 56,000 homes remained without electricity.
New South departments – Ariege (09), Aude (11), Haute-Garonne (31) Gers (32) Hérault (34) Landes (40), Pyrénées-Atlantiques (64) Hautes-Pyrénées (65) and Pyrénées-Orientales (66) – were Sunday night orange alert for strong winds until Monday 10 am, Meteo France announced in a bulletin at 4 pm
The Charente-Maritime is passed Sunday afternoon from orange to yellow alert, the Hérault is the high contrast orange alert.
Kurt, Leiv et… Marcel
Third consecutive depression in less than four days after “Kurt” and “Leiv” , “Marcel” , is described as “common in winter storm may occur 2 to 3 times per year, on average” . It was characterized by “violent winds south of the Val de Garonne, extending the area of the Tramontana” in Languedoc-Roussillon, Sunday evening and overnight. Gusts could reach there 130 to 140 km / h on the coastal area.
The Aquitaine coast, gusts of 141 km / h were recorded Sunday morning in Cap Ferret (Gironde), 122 km / h in Socoa (Pyrénées-Atlantiques) and 127 km / h in Messanges (Landes).
Closed schools
According to a first assessment of prefectures, “Marcel” , of less intensity than “Leiv” , caused fallen trees, power lines, cuts of secondary roads, but no casualties or major damage. Torn roof victims or infiltrations, three schools should remain closed Monday. On Gironde and Charente-Maritime, firefighters made over 780 interventions in less than 48 hours since Saturday morning.
According Enedis (ex ERDF) and the prefectures, about 56 000 homes remained private power Sunday afternoon in the Southwest, primarily in New Aquitaine, after successive storms, about 20 000 of these cuts are related to the passage of “Marcel” .
Nouvelle Aquitaine, where 250,000 homes were disconnected by Saturday “Leiv” , the Enedis technicians interventions were complicated by weather-related “Marcel” .
Caution on the roads
Without going to drastic restrictions on movement of Saturday morning – more than 2300 trucks were immobilized in Nouvelle Aquitaine – prefectures have issued appeals for caution, calling for limiting travel, avoid going out in the forest or edge Wed Parks and gardens were closed in several cities, such as Bordeaux, La Rochelle, and beaches off limits, like in Lacanau (Gironde).
SNCF has advised travelers who planned to travel by train on Sunday afternoon or evening Midi-Pyrénées and Languedoc-Roussillon to postpone their trip until Monday.
