A rare tornado near Paris blew through several towns north of the capital of France, toppling cranes and killing one person.

A motorist felt the full force of a tornado that hit the Val d'Oise department of France, just north of Paris, Monday.

The town of Ermont, about 20km northeast of Paris was worst hit by the sudden twister. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Security forces are also engaged alongside rescue services.’ ‘Following the brief but violent storm that occurred this evening, many trees were uprooted,’ the Ermont town hall said on its social networks.

Photo / Handout, Syndicat Alliance Police Nationale, AFP A tornado tore through districts north of Paris today, toppling three construction cranes that killed one person and left four others with critical injuries,