Heavy rain and strong wind gusts hit southern France on Wednesday, October 7, causing damage across several communes from Gard to Hérault, and even in the Bouches-du-Rhône and Var. The local administration in Gard reported that a tornado might have caused uprooted trees and "significant" damage in Grau-du-Roi, with the event reportedly occurring "around 4 a.m." However, Météo-France, the national weather service, said it could not confirm the tornado due to a lack of sufficient evidence, noting that tornadoes are challenging to detect with current weather monitoring systems. Météo-Express, a private weather service, suggested that radar images showed a whirlwind phenomenon that formed at sea and likely became a tornado when it touched land. Firefighters in Gard began assistance missions in Grau-du-Roi starting at 6 a.m. due to road disruptions and flooding, with no significant damage or injuries reported. In the Bouches-du-Rhône, firefighters responded to incidents related to a "mini-tornado" around 6 a.m. in areas such as Marignane and the Côte-bleue. The incidents included flooding in basements and underground parking, as well as damaged roofs, particularly in Gignac. In the Hérault department, the water level in a river rose dramatically, from about 60 centimeters at 1:30 a.m. to 4m26 at 9 a.m. in Laroque, an increase of more than 3m60 in 7h30. Up to 230mm of rain fell in the north-western part of the Hérault department, affecting communes such as Sausset-les-Pins, Châteauneuf-les-Martigues, and Marignane. Images showed submerged cars and widespread flooding. According to another report, a tornado struck early Wednesday morning in Grau-du-Roi and Port-Camargue, causing uprooted trees, damaged roofs, and overturned boats. The tornado formed offshore and moved toward the coast around 6 a.m., with a clear rotation visible on radar images. Streets were flooded by heavy rains and runoff, with at least one road blocked. The phenomenon is part of an active thunderstorm episode in the Gard department, with a continued risk of heavy rain, strong gusts, and new whirlwind phenomena throughout the day. Although the heavy rains have gradually subsided in some areas, they continued to fall more to the east. Météo-France announced the end of the orange alert for all departments except the Var, which remained on alert until 4 p.m. The weather service emphasized the difficulty of confirming tornadoes with current observational networks, highlighting the challenges of monitoring such weather events in real time. Despite the uncertainty, the incidents underscore the impact of severe weather on local communities and the need for continued vigilance and preparedness.