The Hérault department is seeing improving weather conditions as of Monday, February 16, 2026, following several days of severe storms. The prefecture confirmed that wind intensity is decreasing across the territory, with the strongest gusts now reaching 90 to 100 km/h in the northwest and a further reduction to 60 to 70 km/h expected. The yellow alert for strong winds has been lifted.
At the height of the storms on February 12, approximately 45,000 homes were without power. Enedis, the French electricity distribution network operator, has restored power to 39,000 of those homes. As of today, 6,000 homes remain without electricity, primarily in the western part of the department. The storms, Nils followed by Oriana on February 14, caused significant damage to infrastructure, including downed trees, damaged pylons, and severed cables, complicating restoration efforts.
Despite challenging conditions – waterlogged ground and obstructed access – Enedis teams continue working with reinforced personnel and equipment. Eleven rural communes in the upper cantons and the Minervois region are under enhanced monitoring due to a significant number of ongoing outages, including Saint-Vincent-d’Olargues, La Caunette, Le Soulié, Cambon-et-Salvergues, Fos, Fraisse-sur-Agout, Combes, Saint-Jean-de-Minervois, Boisset, Ferrals-les-Montagnes and Rieussec.
Enedis has been in direct contact with each mayor of the affected areas to assess local situations and tailor responses. The deployment of generators has significantly improved conditions in several communes, particularly for priority sites and town centers. Telephone networks are also showing strong improvement, with coordinated interventions leading to a gradual restoration of coverage in previously impacted areas, according to the prefecture.
Local authorities are assessing the damage caused by the successive storms. In Béziers, Mayor Robert Ménard reported that 260 trees were uprooted, some falling on parked vehicles and rooftops. “The teams remain fully mobilized to secure the affected areas and clear debris,” Ménard stated. The traditional cemetery was reopened this weekend, but the new cemetery will remain closed until all uprooted trees are removed. Ménard visited affected residents and municipal technical teams working to address the situation.
Authorities remind the public to observe the following safety precautions: never touch downed power lines; never handle objects in contact with electrical lines; respect safety perimeters and intervention zones; and report any incidents to Enedis at 09 726 750 34. Generators should be installed strictly outdoors with the circuit breaker switched off.
The prefect of Hérault praised the commitment of Enedis agents, state services (DREAL, DDTM, ARS), firefighters from the Sdis 34, and national police and gendarmerie forces, as well as the Departmental Council, for their tireless efforts to serve the population.
