Three people, including a girl and an elderly woman, died today in a powerful storm that lashed Corsica with hurricane-force winds and left 45,000 households without power, Reuters reported.

Hail, heavy rain and winds reaching speeds of 224km/h lashed the French island in the Mediterranean Sea.

And in some parts of France, suffering this summer from heat and severe drought, more rain fell in just a few hours than in the last few months.

A powerful summer storm hit Paris

Among the victims of the powerful storm were a 13-year-old girl who was killed by a fallen tree on a campsite and a 72-year-old woman whose car was struck by the drifting roof of a wooden structure on the beach, authorities said.

The third victim was a 46-year-old man who died at a campsite in the town of Calvi, the Associated Press reported.

At least 12 people were injured, one of them in critical condition, and a sea rescue operation was launched for several ships that failed to reach the shore.

In mainland France, electricity distribution company Enedis said about 100 households were left without power after a storm hit the southern departments of Loire and Ennis.

Rain flooded streets in Marseille last night, with streams of water running down stairs in the port city, videos posted on social media showed.

Winds in excess of 100 km/h were recorded at the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris as flash floods hit the French capital on Tuesday.

In the northern part of the country, because of the drought, the Loire River, famous for its castles, is so shallow in places that even tourist barges can barely cross it.

a strong storm

dead and wounded

Corsica