Parks, gardens and woods in Brussels Region, along with the parking lots in and around the Soignes Forest, will be closed to the public from 8.00 p.m. on Saturday to 9.00 a.m. on Sunday at the earliest, Brussels Environment announced on Saturday morning.
The announcement came on the heels of a country-wide yellow alert for high winds issued by the Royal Meteorological Institute (IRM). A similar alert was also issued for rains, and it may even be upgraded to orange for the provinces of Hainaut and Namur.
The regional environmental service is recommending residents to avoid moving around in parks, gardens, woods and forests and, in particular, to stay away from trees. All public green areas will be closed from Saturday night to Sunday morning. “Notices will be posted at entry points and guards will inform the public,” Brussels Environment said, adding that the areas will be inspected, cleaned and made safe as soon as the alert expires.
The IRM had earlier given a double warning for high winds and heavy rains for the period between 9.00 p.m. on Saturday and 6.00 p.m. on Sunday.
The meteorological service said a zone of high winds would move across the country from west to east during that time, with gusts of up to 70-90 km/hr.
Where the rains are concerned, the province of Liège should be largely spared. The rest of the country will be coded yellow, and very high precipitation is expected in Hainaut and Namur, which could receive 50 mm of rain in 24 hours, and even a bit more in some areas, especially in the south.
The Brussels Times
