Severe Hailstorms Hit Europe Amid Heatwave, Monsoon Flooding Devastates Bangladesh

Hailstones the size of golf balls have been seen in French villages as, on top of the exceptional European heatwave, thunderstorms have struck across parts of Europe.

While thunderstorms are typical during and after a period of extreme heat, the storms across countries such as France, Germany and Poland have been particularly severe, bringing flooding, strong winds and heavy showers with large balls of hail.

Some people in France reported on social media seeing hailstones with diameters ranging between 5cm and 7cm in the south-east on Wednesday, around the towns of Aubenas, Vals-les-Bains and Lalevade-d’Ardèche, and streets were covered with a visible layer of hail. It damaged vehicle windscreens and several buildings, as well as vineyards.

Alongside the hail, torrential rainfall and strong winds have led to localised flooding in France and Poland. In the city of Wrocław, south-west Poland, roads and tram tracks were closed because of flooding, as well as strong winds blowing trees on to tram cables. Residents have been advised to remain indoors and prepare for power outages. Storms were expected to bring 30-50mm of rain to France, potentially more in some local areas.

In Asia, meanwhile, heavy rainfall and flooding associated with the monsoon in Bangladesh has killed at least 53 people. In the capital, Dhaka, and the surrounding areas, it has been raining for more than a week, with severe warnings for flooding and landslides. The latter covered a school in mud and debris, killing several schoolgirls and their teacher last week.

One of the worst-affected areas has been the Cox’s Bazar refugee settlement, from which residents were evacuated. The Chattogram district recorded 412.3mm of rain in 24 hours, the highest single-day July rainfall in the past 42 years. Overall, about a million people have been affected and thousands are living in government shelters. The knee-deep flooding led to travel disruption, power outages and slower emergency service response times. Bangladesh is prone to flooding from the monsoon, as it is a low-lying country with multiple rivers, increasing the risk of flooding. Further intense downpours and prolonged rainfall is forecast, bringing further risks for flash flooding and landslides.