A low country, lower than the neighbouring sea, so it's mainly land behind the dykes.
We were threatened by the water in 1995.
It's not only the sea that poses a risk, also the water coming from the rest of Europe, overflowing our rivers. That year too much water was melting in far away mountains, too much water rained down.
The dykes that had to protect us were soaked, and the water kept coming. The dykes were at places hardly high enough, and at other places were not strong enough.
Measured at the river Rhine the water was at Lobith 16.98 meters above NAP (average sea level) on february 1 1995.
250.000 people and more than 1 million animals were evacuated.
The area where we lived in was slightly higher than the already evacuated area: 6.20 NAP,
so the water was threatening!
Schools were closed.
We were instructed to get our valuables up, and we did. And we had to prepare for an emegency evacuation.
I arranged for the little kids to go to a friend, she would fetch them by car. And we would come right behind... Bags with clothes and toys were already there. A back up car ride was arranged with a friend nearby, meaning all our kids would be at the back for just a few km to higher grounds.
But the dykes just ...only just managed to keep us relatively safe.
In 1953, so 70 years ago, a storm was approaching from the sea.
It as high tide and spring tide.
At Hoek van Holland the level was 3.5 meters above NAP.
People felt relatively safe.
The storm wouldn't hit straightforward, but sideways, so no real problems were expected.
But the combination of high water, springtide and a storm pushed the water on the waterways far inland, soaking the dykes and crumbling them away by the force.
In the early morning (3.30) of 1 febrary 1953 the water reached 4.55 aboven NAP. So 3 meters above normal level. The springtide was pushed forward and increased the power of the water.
At Kruiningen, Kortgene and Oude Tonge the first holes in the dykes appeared.
As the water was high far inward the dykes were attacked over a large lengths.
As the water was high far inward the dykes were attacked over a large lengths.
The areas with inward water were large. The Ooster Schelde was splitting near Stavenisse.
The power so huge, and broke several dykes near Stavenisse.
Behind Stavenisse the dykes broke too: at Fijnaart. Also at other watersplits more landinward: at Heijningen and Willemstad (Noord Brabant), meaning that not only the islands were flooded, but also part of the mainland.
People were surprised in their sleep.
Some areas in the dykes were already strengthened by wood and concrete, but even that couldn't withstand the power of the water. Men tried to keep the protection in place, but failed.
A ship that was afloat was caught in the water and was pressed against the break, thus preventing flooding of Colijnsplaat. It's called the Miracle of Colijnsplaat.
Dark blue: flooded. 200.000 hectares.
Light blue: soggy and muddy.
Those who survived so far tried to reach higher places: the attic, a roof, a piece of dyke or a higher village nearby.
After the tide the water didn't go down as it usually did and does, and the next tide was even higher.
Not everyone got help in time.
Not all walls stood tall, some broke under the pressure and the people behind it disappeared.
72.000 people were avacuated for a longer time.
A count at 1 october showed that 11.000 were still staying elsewhere. They couldn't return.
Some of them found a place to stay near the area they came from and could keep in contact with neighbours, friends and family, but others were transported far away to a completely strange environment.
3.000 houses and 300 farms had disappeared or demolished.
47.000 cattle and 140.000 poultry died.
40.000 houses and 5.000 farms were damaged.
Material damages were estimated to be more than 1,5 miljard gulden.
The power so huge, and broke several dykes near Stavenisse.
Behind Stavenisse the dykes broke too: at Fijnaart. Also at other watersplits more landinward: at Heijningen and Willemstad (Noord Brabant), meaning that not only the islands were flooded, but also part of the mainland.
People were surprised in their sleep.
Some areas in the dykes were already strengthened by wood and concrete, but even that couldn't withstand the power of the water. Men tried to keep the protection in place, but failed.
A ship that was afloat was caught in the water and was pressed against the break, thus preventing flooding of Colijnsplaat. It's called the Miracle of Colijnsplaat.
Dark blue: flooded. 200.000 hectares.
Light blue: soggy and muddy.
Those who survived so far tried to reach higher places: the attic, a roof, a piece of dyke or a higher village nearby.
After the tide the water didn't go down as it usually did and does, and the next tide was even higher.
Not everyone got help in time.
Not all walls stood tall, some broke under the pressure and the people behind it disappeared.
72.000 people were avacuated for a longer time.
A count at 1 october showed that 11.000 were still staying elsewhere. They couldn't return.
Some of them found a place to stay near the area they came from and could keep in contact with neighbours, friends and family, but others were transported far away to a completely strange environment.
3.000 houses and 300 farms had disappeared or demolished.
47.000 cattle and 140.000 poultry died.
40.000 houses and 5.000 farms were damaged.
Material damages were estimated to be more than 1,5 miljard gulden.
The precise count of lost lives is not clear.
It's estimated that 1796 people died during the disaster.
An additional 40 people died as a consequence.
We remember this disaster with grief and many stories are told and shared.
Even to this day people find out things they didn't know before.
As a consequence large protections against the water has been built, dykes were heightened.
We call it : De Watersnoodramp van 1953.
Source:
more information: >>> Here <<<
It's estimated that 1796 people died during the disaster.
An additional 40 people died as a consequence.
We remember this disaster with grief and many stories are told and shared.
Even to this day people find out things they didn't know before.
As a consequence large protections against the water has been built, dykes were heightened.
We call it : De Watersnoodramp van 1953.
Source:
more information: >>> Here <<<
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