The day that the Dykes broke. (video)
February 3, 2013
The Netherlands remembers 60 years since the dykes broke
Friday 01 February 2013
Special events are taking part in many places in the Netherlands on Friday to remember the great floods of 1953, in which over 1,800 people died.
http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2013/02/the_netherlands_remembers_60_y.php
In the early hours of February 1, 1953, dykes in the south of the country broke, and large parts of Zeeland, the Zuid-Holland islands and western Brabant were flooded.
Over 100,000 people lost their homes in the disaster, which was caused by a combination of strong winds and high tides. Some 500 buildings were destroyed and many more were damaged. Almost 200,000 hectares of farmland land was devastated by the salt water.
In the Zuid-Holland village of Oude Tonge, where 305 people lost their lives, there will be a wreath-laying ceremony to remember the dead. Other events take place throughout the affected areas.
The tragedy led to the development of the Delta Works flood prevention scheme, a massive complex of dykes and sluice gates along much of the southern coastline.
Tags: Brabant, Delta, Flood, Oud Tonge, The Netherlands, Zeeland Posted in Gerard Oosterman | Edit | Leave a Comment »
Window Dresser's Arms, Pig & Whistle 
I was 2 years old and 6 and a half months, Gez when this happened. I at first thought when I watched the vid that I remembered seeing a Movietone News film of it but clearly I didn’t unless it was a replay. I do see it was the a major historical event from this perspective however that it was so well photographed and reported by international journalists. I suppose it is studied from view of its lessons in flood clean up, and alone to orient students in emergency services what to expect of a major outcome of flooding. That is sobering I had never heard of it. It looks to me like a wonder of the world. I cried that 1800 people lost their lives and that is not to respect the degree of injury that must have left people maimed and crippled.
There must have been a lot of historical records that floated and sogged off into oblivion including of the war that was so recent as Rosie brings to perspective. I feel upset and so I particularly should as it is going on now in Queensland. Thank you for the link to the heart.
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I didn’t know. And this was just 7 years after the end of the war. Thank you for informing us.
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Thank you Rosie;
This latest comes with compliments of Dutch News in English.
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