In the Brussels borough of Ukkel a 2-month-old baby was killed in a park after a tree branch landed on the child's pram. Yesterday's violent thunderstorm resulted in one fatality but also brought huge material damage to many parts, especially in the region around Mechelen.
Yesterday's severe weather claimed a life. In the Wolvendael Park in Ukkel (Brussels Capital Region), a 2-month-old baby died when a branch landed on the child’s pram. Boris Dilliès, the mayor of Ukkel explains:
"The mother was walking in the park with her child at around 4pm when the storm broke loose and a severed branch fell on the pram," Dilliès said. "The baby was taken to the St Elisabeth Hospital but died of its injuries. Police and prosecutors opened an investigation, but it is clearly a tragic accident. Our thoughts are with the parents."
Walter Derieuw, spokesman for the Brussels fire brigade, cannot say much about the exact circumstances: "It is still too early for that". All parks in the Brussels region had to be closed by 5pm yesterday as a precaution. "I have no idea at the moment whether the park was open or closed at that time," he said.
The Brussels fire brigade also received dozens of calls about flooded streets and basements, severed branches and fallen trees. "Today we still have about 100 jobs to complete. It’s mainly broken off branches and trees, but also other objects. There is also flooding, where water will drain away on its own accord after it is no longer raining."
Our video shows the storm hitting Ukkel.
Antwerp Province bore the brunt of the storm. In Heffen (Mechelen) a church steeple was blown away. In nearby Leest six high voltage masts were blown down damaging several houses.
In Mechelen itself the courts of justice in Margaret of Austria’s Palace were damaged. In Nijlen 150 members of a youth camp had to be evacuated.
A mini-tornado caused damaged in Londerzeel and Kapelle-op-den-Bos (Flemish Brabant). Flooding also affected many areas of the Province of Flemish Brabant.
In Haaltert – we are now in East Flanders - the roof was blown off the local library. In Brakel that happened to an Aldi warehouse.
In West Flanders a cyclist was injured in Bruges when hit by a severed limb. Debris rained down on Ieper market square following a lightning strike.
In Limburg the damage was more limited.
Rail services are back to normal everywhere after a fallen tree earlier disrupted traffic in the Mechelen area.