More than 40 homes located between Antwerp and Mechelen were hit by a tornado on Wednesday afternoon, rendering them uninhabitable. Further material damage will be investigated on Thursday in daylight.
As large parts of Belgium have seen heavy rain in the past two days, the Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-Waver region in the southeast of Antwerp experienced a more extreme type of weather.
A whirlwind moved through the municipalities of Sint-Katelijne-Waver and Putte late on Wednesday afternoon. Police asked drivers to avoid the village centre of Sint-Kathelijne-Waver during the evening.
The tornado ripped away roofs from homes over a stretch of about four kilometres and also destroyed a large conservatory, the local police zone confirmed on Wednesday night.
Several sheds were also blown to pieces and there is damage at Putte cemetery. A total of 40 homes were damaged and two homes have been declared uninhabitable. Residents found shelter with relatives. The fire brigade managed to secure the buildings again in most places on Wednesday evening.
Along the Waversesteenweg in Putte, a lot of glass and debris was lying on the cycle paths and carriageway but Putte's technical department cleaned this up later in the evening. "Tomorrow at daylight, we will further measure the damage and take the necessary actions," the police zone wrote on social media.
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Tornadoes or whirlwinds are more common in Belgium than is commonly thought. The Royal Meteorological Institute (RMI) estimates that there are five to ten windstorms in the country every year. However, they are not easy to detect: it either has to be witnessed or damage has to be established.
The operational phase of the disaster plan is in place to ensure the most efficient emergency response. Residents of the affected area can call the info line 015/79.36.60 on Thursday between 09:00 and 17:00 if they have questions about the effects of the tornado.
