Photos http://portfolio.lesoir.be/main.php?g2_itemId=526139 -
Ciney and Jodoigne in Wallonia and the EU district in Brussels

Video (Dutch commentary) http://www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuw...d/100714_storm
- in and around Brussels

Liège http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwlH21GyPmg&FMT=18

Serious disruption to trains between Brussels and Wallonia (Namur and
Liège): tracks blocked in various places by fallen trees. Many roads
in Wallonia also blocked by fallen trees.

Jodoigne - sports hall roof collapsed (see photos above): 8 people
slightly hurt

Ciney - several buildings including church tower damaged by an
apparent tornado (see photos above)

Dinant - whole town has been without electricity since 17.00;
several house roofs badly damaged in a nearby village

Charleroi area - roads blocked by fallen trees; lorry driver injured
when a tree fell on his cab

Marcinelle - 4 houses damaged by fire after a lightning strike

Province of Luxembourg - roads blocked by fallen trees and power
cables; roofs damaged in a number of places

Leuven - flooded roads and fallen trees

Diest - seems to have been hit by a small tornado; fireman injured
while clearing a fallen tree

Brussels Airport - flights delayed by half an hour as loading and
unloading of aircraft stopped until the storm passed

Liège Bierset Airport - closed for half an hour; gusts to 120 km/hr
observed; fallen trees and branches in Liège itself - one person
injured when a tree fell on a car

Colin Youngs
Brussels

Gosh. We don't need any of that here, thanks.

Not a mention of this on the BBC news tonight. Of course, any one of those
events in the USA would have the BBC news full of it. Aren't we part of
Europe these days? I just do not understand the BBC's obsession with
America.

jim, Northampton

On Jul 14, 11:42*pm, "jbm" wrote:
Gosh. We don't need any of that here, thanks.

Not a mention of this on the BBC news tonight. Of course, any one of those
events in the USA would have the BBC news full of it. Aren't we part of
Europe these days? I just do not understand the BBC's obsession with
America.

jim, Northampton

You have a good point but have grossly overstated it. Events of
that severity are commonplace in the USA in all seasons and never make
the news here.

Tudor Hughes, Warlingham, Surrey.

Well said Tudor,having a pop at any authority like the Beeb ,Met Office
,Will , is good sport but it is still prejudice often fed by ignorance.

RonB

"Tudor Hughes" wrote in message
...
On Jul 14, 11:42 pm, "jbm" wrote:
Gosh. We don't need any of that here, thanks.

Not a mention of this on the BBC news tonight. Of course, any one of those
events in the USA would have the BBC news full of it. Aren't we part of
Europe these days? I just do not understand the BBC's obsession with
America.

jim, Northampton

You have a good point but have grossly overstated it. Events of
that severity are commonplace in the USA in all seasons and never make
the news here.

Tudor Hughes, Warlingham, Surrey.

On 15 July, 00:55, Tudor Hughes wrote:
On Jul 14, 11:42*pm, "jbm" wrote:

Gosh. We don't need any of that here, thanks.

Not a mention of this on the BBC news tonight. Of course, any one of those
events in the USA would have the BBC news full of it. Aren't we part of
Europe these days? I just do not understand the BBC's obsession with
America.

jim, Northampton

* * You have a good point but have grossly overstated it. *Events of
that severity are commonplace in the USA in all seasons and never make
the news here.

True. On a recent visit to Memphis (in August 2008) I experienced a
rain event that practically paralysed the city, with flash flooding, a
couple of fatalities and many homes inundated. I, personally, have
never experienced rainfall of that intensity, it reduced the
visibility to about 50 yards at times. Such an event in the UK, when
it rarely happens (the Hampstead storm comes to mind), would produce
headlines for days. The Memphis event was top of the local news for a
day or two but it didn't reach national news level in the US.

MartinR


Tudor Hughes, Warlingham, Surrey.