"Hail more than a meter high, and then we wonder if climate change exists," said Enrique Alfaro Ramírez, the governor of Jalisco state. The Mexican army is helping to dig out the city.

The southwest region of France was hit on Wednesday by violent hailstorms, damaging roofs, cars and killing one person.

And the next few days show no signs of letting up.

Officials in Mexico's second largest city say a storm that dumped more than a metre of hail on parts of the Guadalajara area damaged hundreds of homes.