Five Years After Belgian Floods, Trauma Remains for Survivors
Five years after the deadliest natural disaster in Belgian history, survivors of the July 2021 floods continue to live with deep psychological scars. A new report from RTBF documents how the trauma of the catastrophic floods that killed 39 people and affected approximately 100,000 residents remains fresh for many in the Vesdre Valley, particularly in and around Liège.
The 2021 Disaster
Between July 13 and 16, 2021, unprecedented rainfall — up to 271.5mm in Jalhay — triggered catastrophic flooding across Belgium, with the Province of Liège suffering the worst damage. The floods destroyed approximately 50,000 homes and 11,000 vehicles, generating 160,000 tonnes of waste at an estimated total cost of EUR 2.57 billion, according to Wikipedia. In Liège city alone, 13,780 residents were declared disaster victims, and 17 public buildings — including 11 schools and 2 daycare centers — were affected.
Lingering Fear in the Vesdre Valley
RTBF journalist David Wathelet’s report, published July 12, 2026, captures the enduring psychological toll through the voices of residents. In Nessonvaux, Victor returns daily to the riverbank, describing it as his place to decompress. “It helps relieve the pressure,” he says, but admits: “There’s always a knot in the stomach.” His refrain — “We adapt” — speaks to a community learning to live with persistent anxiety.
Nathan, now 17, was 12 when the waters rose. He still speaks with his psychologist almost every week at boarding school. “When you’re young, you don’t experience it like an adult. It’s very complicated,” he explains. Nathan has become an unofficial flood monitor for his community, describing himself as “the one who warns everyone.”
In Trooz, Ludivine has taken a practical approach to managing her fear, placing emergency bags and wooden beams at her door to block water during storms. “It helps me feel more reassured,” she says. “The water often rushes down during storms.” For Arlette, who lives near the Vesdre River, the anxiety is visceral. “Last Saturday, we had storms again. I went down to the basement with a knot in my stomach. My hands were trembling and then I cried seeing water in the cellars. I thought it was starting again.”
Reconstruction Progress
Substantial progress has been made in rebuilding. Over 98% of insurance claims have been processed as of June 2026, according to Assuralia, with nearly EUR 1.5 billion paid out to disaster victims in Liège province. The Walloon government launched the Rives platform in June 2026 — an interactive map tracking reconstruction projects across the Vesdre Valley. The Walloon government’s official update notes that EUR 25 million has been allocated to the nine most-affected communes, with 14 major structural projects underway across five communes.
At Saint-Joseph School in Dolhain, which paid a heavy toll in July 2021, Director Emilie Defraiteur points to ongoing renovations with optimism. “Look how far we’ve come,” she says. “Rain still scares us when it’s very heavy, but we move past it.”
Looking Ahead
Commemorations are scheduled across affected towns on July 14, 2026, the fifth anniversary of the disaster’s peak. The city of Verviers, as reported by L’Avenir, will hold a day of remembrance featuring photo exhibitions, school children’s artwork, and a ceremony with a wreath-laying and minute of silence.
What survivors want most, the RTBF report notes, is simple: to no longer be seen as “disaster victims” — to become simply “residents” again. As the DHnet reports, Liège is already thinking about the future and building resilience against future natural disasters, with a first regional flood plan adopted and a climate adaptation strategy defining seven priorities.
The question that remains, as the Walloon government continues its work through 2028, is whether the lessons of 2021 will translate into effective prevention — and whether the psychological scars will ever fully heal.