Beachgoers flee as tourist town smashed by deadly tornado
Snippets of video capture the moment beachgoers fled a destructive mini-tornado that unexpectedly hit northern France on Saturday.
Sand blanketed the sky at Deauville, Normandy, after the tornado made landfall at 8.30pm (local time).
The silhouettes of dozens of tourists can be seen scrambling in droves to vacate the area.
The extreme weather event impacted the entire Cote Fleurie, killing a kitesurfer at Villers-sur-Mer after he was thrown against a waterfront restaurant wall, according to local media.
Projectiles swept up by the wind injured at least five other people nearby.
Inside a cafe at Trouville-sur-Mer, mobile phone footage shows pedestrians struggling against the wind.
Gusting from behind, a couple's towels are thrust into the air like sails as they hurry along the footpath.
Tornando strikes as Europe is baked by heatwave
The tornado, which formed over the English Channel, had not been predicted by meteorologists.
It occurred during a heatwave that baked parts of France and Germany.
Cottbus station, in northern Germany, experienced its hottest day on record after the mercury soared to 39.2 degrees.
June temperature records were also broken at towns in Poland, Czech Republic and Switzerland.
Spain has been particularly impacted by the heatwave, which has scorched the country for a week.
A fire in the north, which has burned more than 25,000 hectares was brought under control after conditions eased on Sunday.
Rain and a sudden drop in temperature helped raise humidity, giving firefighters the advantage they needed.
With Reuters
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