Flooding and the prospect of further rain is causing grave concern out West
Floods in West Flanders: “Don’t venture outside if you can avoid it!”
VRT NWS journalist Peter Decroubele is at the winter dyke in Houthulst
a seven-kilometre dyke built after the great floods of 1993
but the water is also five metres high” he says
A great problem is looming when it rains."
Mayor Jeroen Vandromme expects that houses near the winter dyke will be flooded
They would rather not leave their houses," Peter Decroubele says
The Antwerp fire zone has sent a team of 11 people to the stricken Westhoek District of West Flanders to help with flooding around Diksmuide and Houthulst
These are specialised firefighters who can evacuate people on and over the water
The team was set up after the floods in Liège Province
West Flanders Province activates emergency number
An emergency number for people in West Flanders has been active since 7.45pm yesterday: 0800/14.689
The emergency number will remain operational at least until 7pm on Thursday 16 November
Non-urgent requests for help from the fire brigade or to get hold of sandbags can still be submitted via the e-desk www.1722.be or by phone on the number 1722
In this way the 112 number can be reserved exclusively for situations