M. W. HESLINGA
DE WATERSNOOD OP SCHOUWEN-DUIVELAND
met 6 foto's en 13 figuren
THE FLOOD DISASTER IN SCHOUWEN-DUIVELAND
SUMMARY
One of the islands of the South-West Netherlands which was seriously
affected by the sea floods of February I, 1953, is Schouwen-Duiveland in the
province of Zeeland. On this island alone, 534 people were drownedtwo villages
lost more than 15% of their inhabitants. About 40000 acres, 80% of the total
area, were flooded. Whereas in other parts of the disaster area it has been
possible to drain the inundated polders before the summer of this year, 011
Schouwen-Duiveland 30 000 acres are still under water, and 8 000 people still
evacuated, i.e. one third of the total population.
The author, after» giving a brief sketch of the damage which the floodwaters
have caused, goes on to consider to what it must be ascribed that this island has
been so much more seriously struck than other parts of the disaster area, and
why the repair of the dikes on this island is so much more troublesome than
elsewhere on the Dutch coast. The repair of five deep breaches through which
the tide ran in and out of the inundated polders twice daily, caused the greatest
difficulty.
The larger and lower the inundated areas, and the greater the tidal range,
the stronger the tidal currents in the breaches. Most of the younger polders,
silted up after 1450, have a rather high soil and a smaller area; the gaps in the
dikes in each of these polders could not extend considerably, and could therefore
be closed fairly quickly (at least if easily accessible). The two oldest and largest
polders of Schouwen proper (about 5 to 7 feet below mean sea level) and the
Vier Bannen of Duiveland have remained longest under water, and the wide
and deep tidal breaches at Schelphoek and Ouwerkerk were the most difficult
to close. The first-mentioned breach has been enclosed in the meantime, it is
hoped to close the second in October.
The repairing of the sea walls on Schouwen-Duiveland has been entrusted to
the Board of the Zuyder Zee Works, in which connection the work on the
East polder, which is now under construction, has been practically stopped. The
technical and organizing experience acquired during the enclosure and partial
reclamation of the Zuyder Zee (Ysel lake), as well as that acquired when
repairing the dikes on Walcheren bombarded during the last year of the war,
is unexpectedly being made thankful use of at the moment. The author not
only describes how the repairs of the outer dikes of Schouwen-Duiveland are
being carried out, but also how the inner dikes are being reinforced, and how
the communications with and on the island are being ensured. Furthermore some
consideration is being given to the landslides or dike falls whereby in the past
large and fruitful areas have been lost.
INHOUD
1. Inleiding424
2. De dijkbreuken427
3. De overstromingen430
4. De dijkvallen437
5. Het herstel van de verbindingen441
6. Het herstel van de binnendijken 443
7. Het herstel van de buitendijken 446
