Busy times for foresters and roofers due to storm Eunice: ‘Recovery will take weeks’

“We expect to be busy cleaning up for another three to four weeks,” says forester Joris Hellevoort of Utrecht Landscape. “Yesterday we already dealt with a lot of emergencies, such as trees over the road or diagonally against a house. Those are the matters that must be solved immediately, we have left the rest for the beginning of the week.”

There will be another meeting on Monday and then we will clean up the damage with contractors and our own people. “All paths have to be walked along again. That takes a lot of time.”

In the meantime, it is recommended not to go into the woods for the time being. Large branches can fall from trees and trees can be ‘on edge’. “Instead of the forest, enjoy the polder area”, advises Hellevoort.

As far as the forester is concerned, one of the most regrettable incidents took place in Zeist. There, a striking tree from probably 1820, the linden van Hoog Beek en Royen, fell through Eunice. On Monday an attempt will be made to put part of the ‘stommel’ upright again.

Roofers are also very busy. “It is extreme. We are fully booked,” says Rudy Evers of Primodak, a company that is active in the Utrecht region. Before noon on Saturday he had already received eighty phone calls, not counting the many emails and text messages.

“I have been a roofer for twenty years, but yesterday’s quantities are unique. People mainly struggle with blown roof tiles, broken zinc eaves, loose gutters and downspouts that hang at half past six. The most extreme cases are flat roofs that blow off, but that I haven’t seen much yet.”

The crowds may not be over yet, because it will storm again today and tomorrow. Rudy’s advice is to just make it happen. “In any case, do not go up on the roof yourself, that is far too dangerous.” Rudy himself also thinks that he will not be able to start the repair work until Tuesday.

Residents of the Weegbree in IJsselstein are struggling with leaks in attics and bedrooms due to broken roofs. According to them, the housing association is doing too little.

“It was already reported on Friday,” says a resident. “I called the helpdesk twice on Saturday after being on hold for two hours. They said put something under it and call Monday. We are in our 60s and have not slept a wink all night and emptied buckets. Now we just put the pool underneath.”

Residents on the Reviuskade in Utrecht had an angel on their shoulder on Friday evening. A large tree fell there in the evening exactly between two houseboats. “What luck”, sighs one of the residents. The tree still needs to be cleaned up.