Severe weather devastates Belgium: A dam collapses, evacuating twenty families outside

Belgium has had to deal with heavy rain and flooding in recent days. More rain is expected to fall on the country in the coming days. Numerous reports have been received from the area around Ghent, among others, of flooded streets and homes at risk of flooding. Due to the continuous rainfall in the recent period, the soil in Flanders has become completely saturated. This can quickly cause flooding. In preparation, the fire brigade and volunteers placed sandbags here and there and created additional embankments.

The French meteorological service Météo-France expected heavy rain to fall on Tuesday and Wednesday, as it usually falls during an entire month. Weeronline expects prolonged rain from Thursday in western Belgium and northern France. On Thursday, between 15 to 25 mm may fall widely, and perhaps 30 mm locally. After a drier Friday, more rain is expected again over the weekend and Monday.

Near the border, the right lane of the Zelzate tunnel under the Ghent-Terneuzen Canal was closed. According to a spokesman for the East Flanders Road and Traffic Agency, damage to the road surface occurred due to high pressure on the joints of the tunnel. The track will remain closed until after the weekend due to previously planned repair work.

In Merkum, Belgium, residents were warned of large amounts of rain. “By warning we basically mean that people should prepare so that evacuations can go smoothly if necessary. We are monitoring the situation hour by hour,” says West Flanders Governor Karl Decalloe.

Meanwhile, emergency services are calling on people in affected areas not to park their cars in underground parking lots. “We also hear stories from kayakers on the water. They are disaster tourists. It is banned and the police will also take action against it,” the governor said.

“When emergency services say it is better to evacuate, we invite people to listen. We do not just carry out evacuations. We always try to be one step ahead of nature,” adds Commander Christoph Dorny.

The governor concluded his speech by saying: “The situation is under control, but we depend heavily on rainfall.” “It’s not over yet. We don’t immediately have a long dry spell ahead. Even if the rain doesn’t fall the water will remain stagnant for at least fourteen days.”

Every drop of rain currently falling in West Flanders is one too many, agrees VTM meteorologist David Dehenau. “What I’ve seen on the weather maps is that we can’t immediately emerge from the changing weather. We expect a few drier days next week, but rain is expected again.