Two dead as severe storms batter France

Two people have died in France amid severe storms that swept the country following a spell of extreme heat, local media reported on Wednesday, citing authorities.

In the Tarn-et-Garonne department in southern France, a 12-year-old boy died when a tree fell near a stream as he tried to reach safety with his family, broadcaster BFMTV reported, quoting emergency services.

Meanwhile, in a village in north-western France, a quad bike rider died after crashing into a tree that had fallen across a road, broadcaster Ici reported.

In many parts of France, temperatures soared well above 30 degrees Celsius before giving way to violent thunderstorms. Gusts of wind reached up to 120 kilometres per hour, prompting a severe weather warning for 57 departments.

Emergency services were heavily engaged responding to incidents as over 100,000 households lost power temporarily, civil defence officials said.

In Paris, Prime Minister François Bayrou urged residents in affected areas to exercise extreme caution. He personally experienced the impact of the severe storms over Paris, where heavy rain caused water to seep into the parliament building while lawmakers were in session, forcing a brief pause, according to BFMTV.

Winds reached 112 kilometres per hour at the top of the Eiffel Tower. Heavy rain flooded many metro stations and caused traffic problems. In just 20 minutes, the temperature in Paris dropped by 11 degrees Celsius.