A 12-year-old boy and a 59-year-old man died in France yesterday after being hit by fallen trees as a violent storm brought dangerous winds and flash floods. Metro stations and some streets of Paris were under water as torrential rain and lightning swept the country, following another day of searing heat.

The child had been cooling off near a river in Tarn-et-Garonne, in southern France, when strong gusts, reaching up to 114km/h, caused a tree to fall, killing him at the scene. In the north-western department of Mayenne, the 59-year-old was riding a motorbike when he crashed into a tree brought down by the storm.

In Paris, the downpour flooded streets, stranded vehicles and forced pedestrians to flee for shelter as flash floods overwhelmed parts of the capital.

The National Assembly was also affected, with water leaking through the ceiling mid-session, prompting firefighters to investigate and ministers to suspend a debate on the Middle East crisis.

Emergency services responded to dozens of incidents across the city, including more than 40 reports of fallen trees.

No injuries were reported in Paris, but authorities remained on high alert.

The French weather service Météo-France confirmed that over 39,000 lightning strikes were recorded across France and Belgium during the storm.

The severe weather followed days of record-breaking temperatures, with highs of 40°C reported in some regions during France’s first major heatwave of the summer.

Meteorologists described the heatwave as unusually early and intense. “This heatwave is remarkable both for its intensity and timing,” forecaster Tristan Amm told Le Monde.

“Only three other heatwaves have started earlier in the year.”

Météo-France said the thunderstorms were expected to ease overnight into Thursday, gradually shifting north and east. But forecasters warned that extreme heat would return over the weekend and into next week.

Officials have urged the public to take precautions, particularly in areas vulnerable to flooding or falling debris, as France faces a growing number of extreme weather events linked to climate change.