In Verviers, hard hit by the flood last week, a ceremony was held in honor of the victims, in the presence of King Philippe and Prime Minister Alexander De Croo.
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Today is a day of national mourning for the victims of the storm that hit our country last week. The official death toll remains at 31 for now, but dozens of people are still missing.
A minute of silence was held at 12.01 am in various places in our country for the victims of the flood disaster and their loved ones. Just before that, the sirens of the emergency and intervention services were blaring. After the 12 o’clock news, all Flemish radio stations played the song ‘No sound but the wind’ by Editors, as a sign of solidarity. Today radio and TV have adapted, sober programming.
– Photo: BELGA Photo: BELGA commemoration ceremony A short memorial ceremony was held in Verviers, a municipality in Liège that has been badly hit, in the presence of King Philippe, Queen Mathilde and Prime Minister Alexander De Croo (Open VLD). Also Minister of the Interior Annelies Verlinden (CD&V), Walloon Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo (PS), Prime Minister of the French Community Pierre-Yves Jeholet (MR), the governor of Liège Hervé Jamar (MR) and mayors of the affected municipalities were present. Before and after the minute of silence, the royal couple, the prime minister and the rest of the party took the time to talk to delegations from the fire brigade, paramedics, the Civil Protection, the police and victims. At the modest ceremony, a poem was also read by Jean-Pierre Minguet and a boy testified how he experienced the disaster and its consequences. Flags are flown at half-mast across the country. The activities on the eve of the national holiday will be adjusted or even deleted. The classical concert in the Brussels Bozar, to which the royal family was invited, will not take place tonight, just like the Bal National on the Vossenplein. – .
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