ISTANBUL

Violent thunderstorms struck Paris and large parts of France late Wednesday, leaving widespread damage, disrupting transportation, and causing two fatalities.

In the French capital, the storm hit around 9 pm local time (1900GMT), bringing torrential rain and fierce winds that reached speeds of up to 112 km/h (70 m/h).

According to Le Parisien, the downpour was so intense it reduced visibility to less than 50 meters, and emergency services were quickly deployed as streets flooded and trees fell across the city.

Paris firefighters responded to hundreds of incidents, including roughly 50 uprooted trees blocking major roads and boulevards.

Several metro stations were forced to close due to flooding or falling debris.

Water leaks were also reported inside the National Assembly, where a debate on the Middle East was temporarily suspended.

Meanwhile, a 12-year-old boy died in Piquecos, Tarn-et-Garonne, after a tree fell into a stream he was near with his family.

In Mayenne, a man riding a quad bike was killed when a tree collapsed on a road.

Civil Security later confirmed that a total of 17 people were injured, including one in critical condition, the French broadcaster BFMTV reported.

Wind gusts exceeded 130 km/h in several regions, with Montbeugny (Allier) recording 135 km/h (84 m/h) and Bessey (Cote-d'Or) 134 km/h, breaking historical records.

Authorities described the weather as a rare "derecho" phenomenon, with a powerful, long-lasting windstorm stretching nearly 700 kilometers (435 miles).

Train services were disrupted nationwide. Routes between Paris-Clermont, Bourges-Vierzon, and Toulouse-Brive were either suspended or delayed, SNCF said.

Approximately 110,000 homes were left without electricity overnight.

By Thursday morning, 100,000 households remained affected.

In Normandy, the storm gutted a church in Valailles, causing the bell tower to collapse.

The City of Paris announced that parks and gardens would remain closed on Thursday morning for safety checks.

Meanwhile, French National Education Minister Elisabeth Borne assured that students unable to attend national exams due to the storms would be allowed to retake them.