North Sea Rips Dikes
On Island in Channel
By the Associated Pres*
AMSTERDAM, The Nether-
lands, April 13.The North Sea,
racing through the English
Channel under the impact of a
storm center, regained complete
control today over the island of
Duiveland, one of the worst hit
areas in the disastrous February
1 floods.
On the eve of a new spring
tide which reaches its peak to
morrow, the North Sea waters
overwhelmed at several spots an
inner dike guarding the 2,110-
acre Bruinisse Polder (reclaimed
land) at the island's eastern ex
tremity. It had been reclaimed
only four weeks ago from the
earlier flood waters.
On the other end of the
island, the emergency dikes of
the 860-acre Burgh-and-West-
land polder were punctured,
flooding the polder which rec
lamation workers had almost
pumped dry.
The hurricane-lashed North
Sea waters submerged Schouwen
and Duiveland Islands in the
February 1 floods, killing 519 of
the 1,783 inhabitants.
In the Bruinisse inner dike,
1 45-yard gaps were torn. Volun
teers worked feverishly to build
new sandbag water barriers on
the island.
