A tornado has left destruction in its wake after it barrelled through central Belgium this week, tearing up a local stables and sending debris flying skywards.

Extensive damage was inflicted on a number of properties in Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-Waver and Putte, which lie between Brussels and Antwerp, during Wednesday afternoon’s storm.

Around 40 homes were impacted across a stretch of some 2.5 miles, according to officials, with roofs ripped from some houses.

Two houses were declared uninhabitable and many residents were forced to seek shelter outside of the area.

Drivers were asked to avoid the village centre of Sint-Katelijne-Waver during Wednesday evening.

Witnesses describe seeing the sky turn pitch black and hearing a sudden onslaught of noise as the storm approached.

Pictures of its aftermath show glass and other debris littered across the streets of Putte, where cleanup efforts are ongoing.

Tornadoes and whirlwinds are surprisingly common in Belgium.

There are five to 10 windstorms in the country every year, according to the Royal Meteorological Institute.