West Flanders hardest hit by Storm Louis

Storm Louis reached Belgium at around 3pm on Thursday and it wasn’t until 2am on Friday that the storm had finally left us. Damage was reported at locations in several provinces. However, the damage was most extensive in southern areas of West Flanders, where there were gusts of wind reaching between 80 and 110 km/h. In the interests of safety Thursday evening’s sounding of the last post took place in front of the Menin Gate in Ieper rather than under it. 

All West Flanders provincial estates (large recreation parks run by the province) were closed to the public from 3pm. The local authorities in Ieper; Langemark-Poelkapelle and Zonnebeke also closed their municipal parks and woodlands. The Westhoek Fire Service received 80 calls to deal with storm-related issue.

The Fire Service spokesman Kristof Louagie told VRT News that "The storm damaged a large number of roofs in the Poperinge, Ieper, Zonnebeke, Diksmuide and Kortemark route". Trees and road signs were also damaged. Elsewhere, in Kortemark around ten houses were damaged by a gust of wind.

Damage remained limited in coastal areas. Of West Flanders. In the area covered by the Fluvia Emergency Service Zone 37 calls were received to deal with storm-related issues. In Menen scaffolding fell from the Noordstraat Water Tower causing the street to be closed. Some of the scaffolding fell onto a house. 

The Last Post could not be sounded under the impressive vaults of the Menin Gate on Thursday evening. Due to the storm, the Fire Service had closed access to the Gate that is currently encased in scaffolding due to restoration work. Instead, Thursday evening’s last post was sounded in front of the Menin Gate.

The ceremony was therefore held in front of the memorial in the shape of a Roman triumphal arch, which bears the names of 54,896 soldiers killed in action.