The Royal Institute of Meteorology warns this Thursday against the passage of a storm tomorrow between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Wind gusts could reach 120 km/h or even 150 km/h in Flanders. West Flanders and the coastal region could thus come under red vigilance. “The damage could be extensive and significant in certain regions”ends the MRI.
The meteorologist, David Dehenauw, in turn alerts our colleagues from Het Laatste Nieuws this Thursday morning. According to him, in the most pessimistic case, Eunice could be the worst storm since 1990. “The red alert for the wind is activated very rarely, if ever. Wind gusts of up to 120 km/h occur every five to ten years. The previous gust of wind measured at 133 km/h h dates from 2002 in Middelkerke. For gusts of wind of 140 km/h, it is necessary to go back up to 30 years, and the storm of January 25, 1990”he presses.
The expert thus recommends taking precautions “on construction sites, where there are cranes, for example”. “Light trucks can be overturned by gusts of 120 km/h”he adds.
What does the crisis center do? wonders the CDH
“What is the Walloon regional crisis center doing” when winds exceeding 100 kilometers per hour are likely to sweep Belgium this Friday, wonders the cdH on Thursday. “The MRI has been sounding the alarm for a few hours. It’s time to make sure that all citizens are well informed. However, I see very little, or even no message from the Walloon regional crisis center “, underlines the leader of the humanists in the Walloon parliament, François Desquesnes.
“We must ensure that the competent services are on the alert and that the local authorities are ready. But whether it is for floods or storms, we feel that the culture of risk and warning, this does not is not yet acquired in Wallonia”, he adds. “At a time when the risks are multiple, we must be more vigilant. This will also undoubtedly be one of the conclusions of the parliamentary commission of inquiry into the floods”, finally considers the deputy cdH.