Severe thunderstorms sweep Belgium with large hail and injuries at Liezele festival
Updated 27 June 2026, 18:30 UTC | Liezele, Antwerp province: A severe onweer trekt across Belgium on Saturday, with HLN and Het Nieuwsblad reporting hagelbollen groot als golfballen and injuries among festivalgoers in Liezele. HLN reported that the storm system was moving east toward Limburg after crossing parts of Flemish Brabant and Antwerp province. The Royal Meteorological Institute says heavy thunderstorms can bring intense rain, hail, wind gusts and lightning, and classifies 3cm to 5cm hail as a heavy thunderstorm criterion.
For readers in Belgium, the immediate issue is personal safety during outdoor events and evening travel. Large hail can injure people, damage cars and roofs, and make cycling or driving unsafe. The RMI says heavy thunderstorms also bring risks from lightning, gusts and sudden intense rainfall.
The story concerns a fast-moving Belgian thunderstorm line affecting outdoor events, road users and residents. The most specific reported impact is in , where and said festivalgangers lopen verwondingen op after large hail struck the area. The provides the official national framework for thunderstorm warnings and hail-risk thresholds.
Background
regularly sees summer thunderstorms after hot, unstable weather. The warning scale treats hail of 3cm to 5cm as part of a heavy-thunderstorm scenario and hail above 5cm as an exceptional-impact scenario. That places reports of hail groot als golfballen in a category that requires caution until official measurements are confirmed.
Impact
Regional — Flanders is the centre of the reported impact, with Liezele named by HLN and Het Nieuwsblad and the storm track reported by HLN as moving toward Limburg.
Local — In Liezele, HLN and Het Nieuwsblad reported injuries among festivalgoers. Residents in affected areas should avoid exposed outdoor spaces, move vehicles under cover only if safe, and follow RMI and municipal updates.
International — The Belgian storms occurred during a wider European heat episode. The Guardian, citing AFP, reported heat-related event cancellations in Belgium and elsewhere in Europe.
What it means for you
If you are outside in an affected area, move indoors, avoid trees and temporary structures, keep away from floodwater, delay cycling or driving during hail, and check RMI updates before travelling.
Opposing perspectives
- Public safety authorities and event organisers
Their priority is keeping people away from open fields, temporary structures and trees when hail, lightning and gusts arrive. For them, the key decision is whether outdoor events pause, shelter or evacuate before conditions worsen.
- Festivalgoers and local residents
Their immediate concern is practical: finding shelter, checking injuries, protecting vehicles and avoiding flooded or debris-covered roads. They need clear, fast instructions from organisers, police, municipalities and weather services.
Who, where and what
Key people, places and terms in this story
The Royal Meteorological Institute is Belgium’s official weather service and national forecaster. It matters as the authority issuing and explaining Belgian weather warnings, including heat and thunderstorm alerts.
country affected by severe thunderstorms
centre of the reported impact
province including Liezele and crossed by the storm
area the storm system was reported moving toward
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country affected by severe thunderstorms
province including Liezele and crossed by the storm
area the storm system was reported moving toward
centre of the reported impact
location where festivalgoers were injured by large hail
area crossed by the storm system
The Royal Meteorological Institute is Belgium’s official weather service and national forecaster. It matters as the authority issuing and explaining Belgian weather warnings, including heat and thunderstorm alerts.
provided official national thunderstorm warning framework and hail-risk thresholds
festival where injuries among festivalgoers were reported
reported large hail, injuries and the storm track
reported large hail and injuries in Liezele
Sources & evidence
- View sourceHet NieuwsbladPrimaryprimary· nieuwsblad.be· 27 June 2026Retrieved 27 June 2026· 97 days agodate verified· Dated
- View sourceHLNprimary· hln.be· 27 June 2026Retrieved 27 June 2026· 97 days agodate verified· Dated
- View sourceRoyal Meteorological Institute of Belgiumofficial· meteo.be· 27 June 2026Retrieved 27 June 2026· 97 days agodate verified· Dated
- View sourceRoyal Meteorological Institute of Belgiumofficial· meteo.beRetrieved 27 June 2026date unknown
How this story developed
2 reports on this subject — earliest first. You are reading the highlighted entry.
- Severe thunderstorms sweep Belgium with large hail and injuries at Liezele festival· You are here
- Severe hailstorm hits Belgium, with festivalgoers reported injured
Related to this story
Pulse Insight — This topic connects to 10 associations and 2 funding programmes through the Flanders ecosystem.
Live connections from the Belgium Impulse ecosystem — not recommendations.
This briefing was prepared with AI assistance and reviewed by a Belgium Impulse editor before publication. methodology.