Strong Storm Ciara winds wreak havoc as the Brussels area continues to be pummelled by strong winds, rain and even hail. Roads in some communities were covered with ice this evening, making driving challenging.
Emergency Services Were Busy
Hundreds of calls were made to Belgian emergency numbers Sunday. People reported fallen trees and building debris, according to The Bulletin. Local parks were closed to prevent any injuries from falling trees — for both pedestrians and cars.
Storm Ciara Causes Travel Delays
Storm Ciara left travelers with major headaches. Travel delays were significant, both on the ground and in the air.
Train service was disrupted. Buses replaced trams for passengers heading to Montgomery station and the Atomium in Brussels. Why? Safety first! The trains travel along tree-lined tracks. There was concern about falling trees.
More than 60 flights were canceled at Brussels Airport on Sunday. They included flights operated by Brussels Airlines, British Airways, KLM and Eurowings. Baggage handling for both arriving and departing passengers was also impacted because of the high winds.
Eurowings’ Twitter page stated that air traffic could be affected through Tuesday morning. They advised passengers to check the status of their flights, but offered some good news:
“Based on the current situation, Eurowings expects to be able to offer a largely normal flight programme for tomorrow.”
Strong Winds Blow
Belgium’s Royal Meteorological Institute announced that winds hit 120km/h on Sunday in Blankenberge, topping winds of 115km/h recorded in Middlekerke overnight. Hopefully, the storm should run its course overnight with travel returning to normal tomorrow.
