Storm Austen sweeps Belgium, causing injuries, power outages and transport chaos

Storm Austen brought gusts between 80 and 110 km/h to Belgium, prompting orange wind alerts for coastal areas, Brussels and parts of Brabant, Hainaut and Flanders, with yellow rain alerts nationwide. The Royal Meteorological Institute confirmed the storm status after a 9 Beaufort reading at Westhinder. Emergency responders handled around 80 calls, including 50 incidents in Brussels where trees were uprooted or branches fell, resulting in four injuries—three at a market terrace and one from a falling branch.

Tram services gradually recovered, with lines 9, 51, 82 and 93 back in service, while lines 39 and 44 stayed partially disrupted. The electricity network suffered about 250 outages, mainly from trees striking power lines, especially in Hainaut and Walloon Brabant. Authorities urged residents to avoid non-essential travel, secure outdoor objects and report non-urgent damage online.