Video: Suspected tornado whips through village near Enschede, damaging homes

A suspected tornado caused considerable damage on Thursday afternoon in Glanerbrug, near Enschede. The safety region reported fallen trees, damaged shed roofs, and loose roof tiles. A primary school was also hit, but all pupils have since returned home safely. Authorities say no injuries have been reported.

Images published by regional media show several large trees and branches that have come down on a school playground. Other photos depict roof sections and debris scattered across the street after the storm damage.

Debris from the damaged roofs may contain asbestos-containing material, according to the safety region. Authorities have sealed off the affected area as a precaution to limit any further spread, while a specialist contractor investigates the fragments and assesses the potential risk.

A plan is being drawn up for residents of homes where asbestos may have been released to allow them to return home, if possible. The same applies to people whose homes suffered “ordinary” storm damage. “With more rain possibly on the way, appropriate measures will need to be taken,” the spokesperson said. The safety region is assessing whether some residents may need temporary accommodation elsewhere.

A spokesperson said that “the situation is not yet under control and may also not yet be safe.” This concerns, for example, unstable buildings and trees. The various emergency services are working together in Glanerbrug to address the dangerous conditions. In Overijssel, a yellow weather warning for heavy thunderstorms remains in effect until 6 p.m.

Aside from heavy rain and thunderstorms, the alert cautioned for strong winds, gusts, and hail, with storm showers most prevalent in the east and southeast. “During rain showers, wind gusts of approximately 65 km/h will occur from a southwesterly direction. Furthermore, hailstones up to about 2 cm may occur,” the KNMI said in its alert. The weather warning also covered Overijssel, the province where Enschede is located.

Weeronline says it is likely that a small, short-lived tornado, locally known as a windhose, caused the damage. Around 12:45 p.m., a strong thunderstorm moved across the Twente region, the service reported. “Wind data derived from radar images shows that there was rotation in the storm.”

Weeronline notes that windhoses are “unusual, but certainly not unique” in the Netherlands, occurring almost annually and sometimes multiple times per year. As an example, in 2022, a windhose caused significant damage in Zierikzee, rendering several homes uninhabitable and leading to one fatality and multiple injuries.