In Oudenaarde, in western Belgium, a 20-meter Christmas tree collapsed on three people in a crowded market last Thursday, killing a 63-year-old woman and injuring two other people. “The gusts of wind and heavy rain caused the tree to collapse,” said Mayor Marnic De Meulemeester. The Christmas market was immediately closed. Bad weather also hit the Netherlands, where overnight roads around the ports of some North Sea cities flooded, including Scheveningen, the coastal suburb of The Hague. Far from the coast, a woman was seriously injured yesterday by a falling tree in the eastern town of Wilp.
The huge Maeslantkering hurricane barrier, which protects Rotterdam from high sea levels, has been closed automatically for the first time due to high water levels, meaning that all six main hurricane barriers protecting the Netherlands at low altitudes have been closed at the same time. The National Water and Infrastructure Authority said this was also the first time. This morning all six barriers were reopened thanks to the easing of the winds.
Source: IL Tempo
John Cameron is a journalist at The Nation View specializing in world news and current events, particularly in international politics and diplomacy. With expertise in international relations, he covers a range of topics including conflicts, politics and economic trends.
