The Ardèche department in the southeast of France was hit on Wednesday by large hail. Vehicles and buildings were damaged.

A very powerful storm hit the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in eastern France, where large hailstones fell.

The phenomenon caused significant damage, shattering windshields and windows of cars, damaging roofs and buildings, and affecting agricultural crops. Authorities described the weather episode as one of "exceptional violence."

Meteorologists explained that the storm was favored by the very high temperatures of the past few days, which created conditions for the development of severe convective cells. Response teams were mobilized in the affected areas to assess the damage and support the population.