Videos on social media also show how metro stations in Paris have been flooded, but no injuries have been reported. Authorities have urged people to postpone their travel plans and to avoid bodies of water or try to seek shelter under trees.
“The storm is moving east and could be violent with intense rain, in some places it could fall up to eight centimeters in a short time and potentially cause tornado-like conditions,” said the weather service Météo France.
During the summer, France was hit by extreme drought and July was the driest month since 1961. This has made the ground harder, which means that the soil cannot absorb as much rain, which instead risks flooding waterways.
However, the rain can be thought to be a relief for the many firefighters who have been fighting a series of forest fires in southwestern France. Most are now said to be extinguished.