Photos : Reportage on floods in the Ourthe valley, Belgium
30 January 2021
For the past few weeks, snowy episodes have followed one another across Wallonia. In less than 48 hours, the temperatures have allowed a rapid thaw. As a result, the floods of the Lower Ourthe and Amblève rivers were very fast. Most of the inhabitants confirm it. These are not the highest floods that the region has experienced but on the other hand, they are among the fastest.
Added to this rapid melting of snow, heavy rains have been showering the region for about a week.
Many residents have had to leave their homes and most of the campsites in the area have had to be evacuated. Fortunately, there were no casualties.
Méry, Belgium. January 30, 2021. The camping close to the Ourthe is completely underwater. The whole valley is under red alert and many houses are flooded. Heavy rains associated with the melting snows cause a rapid flooding of the Ourthe and the Amblève rivers mainly. Méry, Belgium. January 30, 2021.A resident of the camping site had time to take his caravan out of the campsite and take shelter. From his caravan, on the access road, he contemplates the flooding of the Ourthe. The whole valley is on red alert and many houses are flooded. Heavy rains associated with the melting snows cause a rapid flooding of the Ourthe and the Amblève rivers mainly. Chanxhe, Belgium. January 30, 2021. The floods of the Ourthe are so high that a house is attacked by the river. Many people had to leave their homes to avoid any danger. The flood continues, helped by the continuous heavy rains.Chanxhe, Belgium. January 30, 2021. Geese and ducks take shelter on the road along the river. The Ourthe has been out of its bed for more than 24 hours and the heavy rains do not help to calm the flood. Chanxhe, Belgium. January 30, 2021. A road along the Ourthe is under water after the river is out of its bed. For more than 24 hours, the floods of the Ourthe have put the whole valley on red alert. Many people find themselves unable to reach their homes. Hony, Belgium. January 30, 2021. The whole valley is on red alert because the river is out of its bed and the flooding continues to increase with the heavy rains. Hony, Belgium. January 30, 2021. In the village, many gardens are under water. The Ourthe has been out of its bed for more than 24 hours. Most of the cellars of houses in the village are under water. Pumps and generators are running at full speed while the flood continues to rise. Méry, Belgium. January 30, 2021.The mailboxes of the campsite near the Ourthe river is completely under water. The whole valley is under red alert and many houses are flooded. Heavy rains associated with the melting snows cause a rapid flooding of the Ourthe and the Amblève rivers mainly. Hony, Belgium. January 30, 2021. The ravel along the river Ourthe is completely underwater. The whole valley is under red alert and many houses are flooded. Heavy rains associated with the melting snows cause a rapid flooding of the Ourthe and the Amblève rivers mainly. Hony, Belgium. January 30, 2021. The whole valley is on red alert because the river is out of its bed and the flooding continues to increase with the heavy rains. Méry, Belgium. January 30, 2021.A resident of the camping site had time to take his caravan out of the campsite and take shelter. The whole valley is on red alert and many houses are flooded. Heavy rains associated with the melting snows cause a rapid flooding of the Ourthe and the Amblève rivers mainly. Méry, Belgium. January 30, 2021.A car is under water while the whole camping site is flooded. The whole valley is under red alert and many houses are flooded. Heavy rains associated with the melting snows cause a rapid flooding of the Ourthe and the Amblève rivers mainly.Méry, Belgium. January 30, 2021.A resident of the camping site takes a picture of the ongoing floods. The whole valley is under red alert and many houses are flooded. Heavy rains associated with the melting snows cause a rapid flooding of the Ourthe and the Amblève rivers mainly.Méry, Belgium. January 30, 2021.A passer-by watches the strength of the current during this flood. Many houses in the Ourthe valley are under water while the river has been out of its bed for more than 24 hours. The melting snow accompanied by heavy rains made the flood very fast.
