Collapsed facades, torn roofs… first major damage in France after the arrival of the depression Kirk

Nathalie was still sleeping when, early this Wednesday morning, the facade of her building collapsed. A collapse which could be explained by the downpours which fell in recent hours in Saint-Maixent-l’Ecole, the commune of Deux-Sèvres where she lives. Now, authorities are worried that other buildings are in turn in danger. “You can see the structural impact on the barbershop, the Le Chalon pub and the restaurant behind it”explains the councilor, Stéphane Baudry.

Interrupted trains

The damage is just as significant for a heavy goods vehicle dealership in Rots (Calvados), northwest of Caen. A large part of the roof was torn off by the gusts. “Actually, it’s a very sturdy building. Everyone’s talking about a mini-tornado that went through the building. And everything lifted up.”tells us an employee.

Since last night, the Kirk depression has crossed France from west to east. 34 departments have been placed on orange vigilance by Météo France (10 for wind, 24 for rain-flooding and 2 for floods). In Nantes, where an orange rain-flood alert is in order, parks and gardens have been closed.

Transport was also very disrupted in places. SNCF traffic was interrupted until 12 p.m. between Lyon and Saint-Etienne. The cause? A large hole dug by precipitation at the foot of the railway tracks which weakens the embankment. In the South-West, in the Basque Country, a record gale of 211 km/ha was recorded at Iraty. A first in 13 years.

• Read also

  Depression Kirk: the latest information

In the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, more broadly, several TER lines will be interrupted this afternoon due to the heavy rain and powerful winds expected. Substitute buses should be put in place by the SNCF.