Maasmechelen (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Severe thunderstorms struck eastern Limburg, flooding streets and toppling trees. In Maasmechelen, a tree landed on a car as emergency crews responded.
An automobile parked near the Koninginnelaan was struck by an oak tree at approximately 21:30. The torrential rain also flooded the streets.
No one was hurt. The automobile on Koninginnelaan had damage to its bodywork. There was blockage in both lanes.
The route was closed by the Lanaken-Maasmechelen, Belgium, local police while the cleanup was being done. A party tent also wound up on a bus shelter in the same street.
A thick branch on the Natiënlaan had split and was in danger of falling, so the ladder truck had to help. Using the ladder truck, the fire department successfully removed the branch.
There was a lot of rain and severe wind along with the thunderstorms. Many streets quickly flooded as a result of the sippers’ inability to handle the copious amounts of rainwater.
On E314, traffic from Genk also had to exercise caution because visibility was severely limited and most cars had temporarily moved to the hard shoulder during the hail and rain storms.
What areas in Limburg experienced the worst flooding from the thunderstorm?
One of the hardest-hit municipalities was this one close to the Dutch border. The local emergency plan was triggered, hundreds of homes were flooded, some with water up to chest height, and streets were submerged. With over 300 homes impacted and major infrastructure damage, the mayor said the flooding was worse than the 2021 tragedy.
Almost 88 mm of rain poured in an hour in Lanaken, causing cellars to flood, homes in neighborhoods like Veldwezelt to have water seeping into them, and major street flooding. This caused extensive inconvenience and was one of the greatest recorded rainfall totals.
In addition, these localities had to deal with emergency reactions to lightning strikes and water damage, street flooding, and continuous severe rain. Because of the high number of events, emergency services were overburdened in several areas.
