Destruction and death in Paris: Storm paralyzes entire district

Severe destruction has struck the northwest of Paris. On Oct. 20, the Val-d’Oise district was brought to a standstill by a powerful storm.

In the city of Ermont, the impact of the whirlwind proved devastating — a construction crane collapsed onto a building, killing a 23-year-old construction worker on site. Nine other people were hospitalized with injuries of varying severity.

According to France’s Ministry of Health, four of the injured are in serious condition, while the others sustained lighter injuries.

The storm, dubbed the Mini Tornado, has paralyzed the entire district and caused extensive damage across several large communities.