In 2022 most damage ever caused by storms in our country

One of those places where the storm caused enormous damage was the Urbano Motor Homes store in Ostend. Jean-Philippe Stroomer’s shop on the corner of Duinkerkseweg and Torhoutsesteenweg was badly hit by storm Eunice. A passing moped rider was not seriously injured, but the damage was extensive. All hell broke loose here shortly after noon. “Around 12 o’clock the wind started to pick up. We saw roof domes moving and at a certain point the roof domes were gone. The wind came completely into our showroom. Twelve of our large shop windows completely shattered and the front door came out. The glass flew around here. The motorhomes were damaged. The material damage was enormous,” says Jean Philippe Stroomer.

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Less than two hours later, the insurance expert was on site and a first contractor arrived to prop up the building and seal and protect the rest of the showroom. But then a kind of administrative storm starts. “The financial damage is enormous and the paperwork behind it is also enormous. I advise everyone to be properly insured! Our insurer has done that very well.

Everything worked out in the end, but it still took more than 10 months to repair all the damage.

Despite the enormous destruction, Urbano in Ostend was not closed for a day. There is concern for new storms. But the building and the roof have been reinforced. The central entrance has also been moved.