Paris: Two people died and 53,000 homes were left without power due to thunderstorms in France. French authorities announced on Friday that two people were killed as a result of violent thunderstorms that struck several regions on Thursday evening, causing widespread material damage and power outages affecting about 53,000 homes.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, local authorities reported that a 30-year-old woman was killed when a tree fell on her in the Haute-Vienne region in western France, while a 37-year-old man died inside a workshop in the Is¨re region in the south after a lightning strike caused a fire in the building.

The storms caused power outages for approximately 53,000 homes, particularly in the Auvergne-Rh´ne-Alpes region in the southeast and Nouvelle-Aquitaine in the west. The electricity distribution network operator explained that the outages were caused by trees and branches falling onto power lines due to the strong winds.

The French meteorological service had issued warnings of severe thunderstorms affecting 30 departments, accompanied by winds ranging from 80 to 100 kilometers per hour. These weather disturbances come after a recent heatwave in France that prompted authorities to issue warnings due to the high temperatures.