Eurockéennes: the first evening canceled after a big storm, seven minor injuries

Europe 1 with AFP 7:15 p.m., June 30, 2022

The first evening of the Eurockéennes de Belfort was canceled Thursday because of the violent storms which fell on the site of the festival and made seven minor injuries, announced the prefecture of the Territory of Belfort and the organizers.

"For security reasons and because of the risk of violent storms affecting the department and the Eurockéennes site, it was decided to cancel the evening of June 30," the prefecture told AFP, which recommends that festival-goers to be "cautious".

Seven wounded "in relative emergency"

"For the moment, there are less than seven wounded who are in relative emergency, taken care of at the hospital", indicated to the press the person in charge of the communication, Hervé Casteran, without specifying how and where these people had been injured.

"Our objective at the moment is to secure the perimeter of the site and the campsite (which can accommodate around 20,000 people, editor's note). We cannot take the risk of opening for the moment, we will check the whole perimeter to make sure everything works for a recovery tomorrow," he added.

"The exit routes are now secure and festival-goers are being evacuated safely," organizers said in a statement.

Violent gusts of wind and heavy showers

From the end of the afternoon, violent gusts swept the peninsula of Malsaucy, where the festival is held, and two sustained showers fell on the site as the first spectators began to arrive, noted a journalist. from AFP.

A metal pylon located at the entrance to the site fell.

The Prefect of the Territory of Belfort, Raphaël Sodini, announced that he had activated the Departmental Operational Center (COD) of the Prefecture.

The Belgian singer Stromae and the duo Bob Sinclar and Pedro Winter, present for a tribute to "all that the French Touch has done best", were the headliners of the first evening of this 32nd edition, which is held on four days until Sunday.