Storm Nils has caused significant disruption in southwestern France, leaving 450,000 households without electricity as of early Friday morning. The storm has particularly affected the Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Occitanie regions, where the electricity provider Enedis reported that only 50% of the initially impacted 900,000 clients have been reconnected. A heightened risk of flooding in areas such as Gironde and Lot-et-Garonne continues, prompting authorities to maintain a red alert status for these regions.

Enedis has mobilized approximately 3,000 personnel in response to this unprecedented storm event, including around 2,100 technicians who are actively working to restore power. Météo France characterized Storm Nils as having a rare intensity, resulting in flooding and extensive damage across multiple communities. The infrastructure challenges posed by the storm and subsequent flooding have raised concerns about the resilience of local services to withstand such extreme weather events in the future.

Local authorities are now focused on recovery efforts and ensuring that services are restored as quickly as possible. The severe impact of Storm Nils underscores the importance of disaster preparedness and infrastructure investment in mitigating the effects of severe weather, particularly in vulnerable regions. With ongoing vigilance for possible further flooding, the situation remains critical for many residents affected by the storm.