INUNDATED AREAS OF
THE NETHERLANDS
iholl
FLOODED
THE FLOOD
1st FEBRUARY 1953
Total number of houses
in the Netherlands2,345,000
Houses and farms in the
stricken areas143,567
Zeeland
devastated 1,290 houses
320 farms
heavily damaged 2,390 houses
720 farms
slightly damaged 2,430 houses
790 farms
Brabant
devastated 440 houses
90 farms
heavily damaged 820 houses
180 farms
slightly damaged 4,770 houses
360 farms
South-Holland
devastated 2,080 houses
40 farms
heavily damaged 750 houses
110 farms
slightly damaged 11,430 houses
230 farms
7302 - '53 (1554) February 27th.
ROTTERDAM
V00RNE
WALCHEREN
ZUID-BEVELAND
AMSTERDAM
S-GRAVENHAGE
•ROTTERDAM
ZEEUWSGH
VLAANDEREN
G0EREE-
0VERFLAKKEE
NOORD-BEVELAND
The events on the 1st of February 1953 once again demonstrated in a
gruesome way the serious menace which the sea holds over the Netherlands.
This is caused by the fact that one fifth of the country hes below sea
level and that at least 40% would be flooded in the absence of sea-walls
and river dykes. A large part of the Netherlands was recovered from the
sea and a continuous battle is being waged to retain this recovered land.
Although in the course of centuries the Netherlands has many times
been severely hit by the water, a catastrophe such as the recent one has
not occured for more than a century.
The circumstances in this case were however exceptional. In the night
of Saturday, the 31st of January 1953, a hurricane of unprecedented
ferocity, unfortunately accompanied by a spring tide, swept the Lowlands
and, for many hours at a stretch, lashed dykes and sea-walls which more
often than not were hollowed out on the inside by the waves washing over
them.
Although the sea-walls of the northern provinces, the main sea dyke
of the Zuider Zee and the great river dykes were able to stand up against
the violence of nature, the furious waters pounded many gaps in the dykes
of the island groups, which constitute the province of Zeeland, the southern
part of the province of South Holland and the adjacent western territory
of the province of North Brabant.
The furious masses of water flooded a large area of these fertile agri
cultural and cattle-breeding lands, sweeping away dwellings, people and
cattle. 133 Villages and towns were severely damaged by the water; several
of them disappeared entirely in the waves, which reached in some places
a height of 15 feet. Some 400,000 acres of land are flooded, including
332,500 acres of cultivated farm land. 1,500 Lives have been lost, at least
50,000 head of cattle were drowned and numerous houses and farms were
either destroyed or heavily damaged. The total damage is estimated at
over 1,000,000,000 guilders.
Notwithstanding the fact that an apparatus to offer assistance on such
a large scale and in such appalling circumstances was of course not
available, only a few hours after the disastrous night rescue parties, motor-
boats and aeroplanes were on their way to render assistance, and in the
