A strong gust of wind reportedly caused the 31-year-old victim to break into the building in Villers-sur-Mer, about 10 miles (six miles) west of Deauville off the coast of Normandy. Another five people were reportedly injured by “missiles” and taken to hospital as they threw objects into the air on Saturday afternoon. City Hall said about 15 people had to be relocated temporarily. Image: Visitors to the beach run for coverage in Deauville. Photo: Samy Bouguern A social media video from Villers-sur-Mer shows walkers and beachgoers taking refuge in buildings on the beach during what the local mayor described as a “mini-windstorm”. Strong winds reportedly lasted 20-25 minutes at Cote Fleurie between Ouistreham and Deauville. In Deauville, strong winds caused sand clouds as beachgoers ran to cover themselves. The extreme weather was not predicted by meteorologists who did not expect the winds to be so strong, Francebleu reported. It was “violence like we have never experienced on our shores,” said Villers-sur-Mer Mayor Thierry Granturco. Street furniture as well as items from restaurants were thrown away “with incredible violence”, he explained. He said the surfer who died was a Parisian who had a second home off the coast of Normandy, Franceinfo reported. Mayor Granturco said the victim “was thrown from the water on the wall of a restaurant, where he died”.
