Historic Wilhelmina Tower in Valkenburg Collapses Early Morning

The unexpected collapse of the 30-meter tourist landmark has prompted investigations, with no casualties reported so far.

The Wilhelmina Tower, a 1906 neo-Gothic structure in Valkenburg, Netherlands, collapsed at approximately 5:30 AM on Sunday.
Search efforts using drones and sniffer dogs initially raised concerns about potential victims, but no people were found under the rubble.
The collapse occurred before the tower opened to visitors, averting what could have been a catastrophic incident on a sunny day likely to attract tourists.
The cause of the collapse remains unknown, and the site is under investigation; seismic activity was detected at the time by a nearby monitoring station.
Authorities have closed off the area and urged the public to stay away, emphasizing the emotional impact on the community, as the tower was a beloved local landmark.