France's southwestern regions faced an exceptional storm episode starting late Monday, May 19, 2025, leading to significant damage and disruptions. The orange weather alerts were lifted in most affected departments by Tuesday, but the Var department remains under orange vigilance for rain-flood and thunderstorms until at least midday.

The storms, accompanied by hail and heavy rains, caused rivers to overflow, leading to flooded roads, evacuated schools, and hundreds of emergency interventions by firefighters. In Toulouse, a fallen tree in the city center was among the incidents reported. The rainfall was so intense that it reached up to 60 mm in Lavaur (Tarn) and 78 mm in Saint-Felix-Lauragais (Haute-Garonne), with some areas experiencing over 80 mm overnight.

A notable incident involved the partial derailment of a TGV Inoui Paris-Toulouse near Tonneins in Lot-et-Garonne, caused by the collapse of a railway ballast due to flooding. The train, carrying 508 passengers, was forced to stop around 9:30 PM, with no injuries reported. The alert was raised by a local resident near the railway. Many departmental roads in the area were also closed due to the flooding.

As the region begins to recover, the focus shifts to the Var department in the southeast, where the threat of severe thunderstorms persists. Météo-France warns of potential heavy rain intensities and advises residents to remain vigilant. The situation underscores the unpredictable nature of spring weather in France, with communities and authorities working together to mitigate the impacts of such extreme weather events.