Gusts cause a lot of damage in Kinrooi and Maaseik: “Fire brigade helps with all their might” (Kinrooi)

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Storm damage

Maaseik/Kinrooi –

Gusts of wind caused a lot of damage, especially in Ophoven on Sunday evening. Around 10 p.m., about fifteen reports of houses that had been damaged had already been reported to the emergency services. The Venlosesteenweg, the road between Maaseik and Kinrooi, was blocked for a long time by a fallen tree.

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Mireille Maes/Mark Dreesen

Yesterday at 23:34–

The first reports came in just before 9 p.m. In the Kinrooise borough, the damage appears to be enormous. The Leustraat, Honsdries, the Venlosesteenweg and the Lichtenberg were streets from where the reports came. Trees, branches, garden houses but also large parts of roofs started flying. The Venlosesteenweg is closed because a tree blew over the road. The well-known restaurant ‘t Tegelhuuske on the Maasdijk is also said to have suffered serious damage. More information is not available for the time being.

Garden sheds

There was a lot of damage at Do-It-Yourself Coolen on Venlosesteenweg. “I have several garden sheds on my property,” says the owner. “Almost all of them have blown over, blown to pieces and even blown away. I look at a mass of wood in the darkness and I can’t yet imagine how extensive the damage is here. Further on my property, materials have also been blown away, including a large container.”

Assistance

Mayor Jo Brouns (CD&V) of Kinrooi went on the spot on Sunday evening. “I went to the center of Ophoven to inspect the damage and to judge where help should be provided first. It concerns several houses where tiles have been blown away. It is not possible to quickly visit all locations in the darkness. The fact that a tree blocks the entire passage to Ophoven means that help is delayed a little longer. I have heard that houses have also been destroyed in Maaseik. But it’s too early to take stock tonight. The fire brigade is helping everywhere with man and power.”