In Belgium, almost 120 municipalities were affected by flooding. The new death toll is 24 on Saturday, July 17th. Solidarity among the population was imposed very quickly.
Pepinster, east of Liège, is one of the 120 worst-affected municipalities in Belgium. it is devastated. For two days, a group of friends has been walking through this flood-ravaged village to offer help. They go from door to door. Hundreds of houses still need cleaning there. A human chain is immediately put in place to empty an underwater basement. “I tell myself that I could be in the affected people’s shoes. It seems natural to lend a hand” explains one of them.
In all the affected cities, groups of volunteers armed with wheelbarrows and shovels came from all over the country, affected by the plight of the inhabitants. A young volunteer firefighter launched the idea, shocked by the chaos that reigns. “I didn’t see anyone mobilizing. You had to decide for yourself. I haven’t slept in four days”, he confesses. The task is immense. Some neighborhoods do not have water or electricity. Across Belgium, the wave of solidarity is such that some associations say they are overloaded with donations.