Thursday 15 June 2017

1967, News: Tornado Oostmalle

On Sunday 25 June 1967 at 4:15 pm the Belgian village Oostmalle was hit by a tornado which destroyed the church and the centre of the village. The tornado entered Belgium via northern France causing light damage in the Belgium villages Dikkebus and Boezinge. It struck four times with severe strenght: at 4:15 pm in Oostmalle, at 4:27 pm and 4:40 pm in the Dutch village Chaam, and at 5:17 pm in the Dutch village Tricht.

The devastating natural phenomenon came through the Renesse park and then crossed the center of Oostmalle. The tornado threw trees out of the ground, destroyed the church tower, damaged dozens of houses, threw cars around. More than half of the 900 houses in the village were damaged, 135 houses were completely destroyed. Miraculously no-one got killed. There were about 100 injured, of whom 43 were serious.

Arial view of the devastation
Arial view of the devastation
Oostmalle, Dorpsplaats after the tornado
Oostmalle, Dorpsplaats after the tornado (arial view)

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