People take pictures as waves break on the beach in the wake of Storm Eunice in Blankenberge, Belgium, February 18, 2022. REUTERS/Yves Herman
BRUSSELS: High winds sent a crane crashing onto the roof of a hospital in the Belgian town of Tournai on Friday as Storm Eunice swept in with gusts of up to 130 km per hour (80 miles per hour).
There were no immediate reports of any deaths, though local media said there had been injuries, without going into further detail.
Images on social media showed the crane's tip crashed into the roof of the hospital and through the ceiling of the top floor.
Another piece fell on the ground in a building site close to the crane's base that stayed standing.
In a separate incident, a 79-year-old British man died after he fell from his boat at a marina on a waterway in the northern town of Ypres amid strong winds, media reported.
A teenager was reported to be in critical conditions after he was hit by a falling branch while running in the nearby town of Menen, close to the French border.
The storm, which is also battering other northern European countries, including Britain, Ireland and the Netherlands, has disrupted transport services in Belgium.
The football game between the teams of Ghent and Seraing for the country's top league was postponed after the roof of Ghent's stadium was damaged by the strong wind.
