Fallen trees, flooded streets and drivers who had to be rescued in hellish conditions: the storms struck even more fiercely in Wallonia than in Flanders. Firefighters are mainly left with a powerless feeling. “It was previously code red here. They would be better off giving the money that was provided to buy F-35s to us,” responds fire chief Marc Gilbert, who is also active as a PS politician.
Journalist at HLN
Source: Sudinfo
LOOK. Streets in Wallonia are flooded
The region between Namur and Charleroi was particularly hard hit. On the N90 in Châtelineau, motorists got stuck in the rising water. For some, there was no choice but to leave the car behind. Engines suffered such damage that owners were unable to start their cars afterwards.
“Rather code red”
The speed at which the track was flooded was particularly impressive. “I drive a large van, but in less than thirty seconds the water rose up to my windshield,” Johnny testifies. “To get away, I had to drive into a street that I was not allowed to enter. However, my car still broke down.”
Locally, sometimes 25 liters per square meter fell in an hour. “The RMI announced code orange, but for us it was more likely code red,” says Marc Gilbert, commander of the Val de Sambre fire zone and also active as faction leader for the PS in Namur. “In some places the water was 1.20 meters high. I have rarely encountered such heavy rainfall in my 52-year career.”
Two people rescued from roof
In Jemeppe-sur-Sambre, two people had to be rescued from their roof because they had nowhere else to go. The situation brought back bad memories: in 2021, a water bomb led to severe flooding, resulting in 39 deaths. To escape the swirling mud flows, residents of Pepinster and Chaudfontaine spent hours on their roofs.
The fire brigade faces an impossible task, Gilbert emphasizes. “Due to global warming, we will increasingly be confronted with these types of situations. It is time for politicians to realize this.”
“System hits limits”
“The Belgian fire brigade has a total of 17,500 firefighters, including 12,500 volunteers. However, many were at the seaside or had registered for the 20 kilometers through Brussels (which takes place today, ed.). “With great difficulty I was able to gather 60 firefighters for my zone, but we actually needed ten extra firefighters. This system is reaching its limits,” he said.
More staff is therefore needed. “Instead of buying F-35s, politicians would better meet our urgent needs. Billions are spent on Defense, but we are left helpless,” Gilbert concludes.
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