LIVE | Rutte praises Limburg’s resilience: a calling card for the Netherlands | Inland

During a visit to Venlo, outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte expressed his admiration for “the resilience that Limburg is now showing.” He called it to the regional broadcaster L1 “a calling card for the whole of the Netherlands.”

The province has been ravaged by flooding for days. “A bizarre picture,” said Rutte. “Because the sun is shining and at the same time a disaster is visible here.” The prime minister reiterated that the outgoing cabinet will do everything it can to help the people of Limburg as best as possible.

“Of course there will be another crisis after this crisis,” Rutte said. “Once this water is gone, then of course you have to clean up everything and start assessing the damage. And then we also have to help each other.”

On Thursday evening, during a crisis meeting, the cabinet decided to formally designate the flood in Limburg as a disaster. As a result, a law applies whereby people with damage that is not covered by insurance can turn to the government for compensation.

20.15 – Evacuated Roermond residents cannot return for the time being

ROERMOND (ANP) – The thousands of residents who were evacuated in Roermond on Thursday and Friday cannot return home on Friday evening. According to the municipality, the main reason is that the long-lasting high water can weaken or even cause dikes and quays to collapse.

Most residents were pulled from their beds early in the morning on Friday to leave their homes as quickly as possible. Initially, the plan was that the residents of 550 houses on the rapidly swelling Hambeek had to leave before 11 a.m. But the rapid rise of Maas, Hambeek and Roer made the municipality decide to disrupt their night’s rest. Around 6 am cars with megaphones drove through the streets that everyone had to move before 7 am. An NL Alert also went out with the call to leave the house. Whoever slept through it was awakened by the sirens of police patrol cars driving through the neighborhood.

The Maas in Roermond reached its highest level around 3 p.m., but that level has fluctuated since then. The Meuse is not sinking, it can even rise slightly, according to a spokeswoman for the security region. “The peak lasts a long time, can fluctuate,” she said. “May even increase. After all, they are only forecasts that we give. The danger has not passed.”

Meanwhile, the Roer also rises to an unprecedented level with an unprecedented discharge of 300 cubic meters per second, where previous records hovered around 120 cubic meters. About 270 people living in the neighboring municipality of Roerdalen aan de Roer therefore had to leave their homes on Friday. The peak of the Roer is expected to last for 30 to 48 hours, according to the municipality. It is unclear what this means for the magnitude of the nuisance in the overflow area of ​​the Roer

19.50 – Safety region: local residents affected dyke not yet home

Local residents who were evacuated in connection with the hole in the dike of the Juliana Canal near Bunde and Meerssen should take into account that they will have to spend the night elsewhere. It will only become clear around midnight whether they can go home or not, says the South Limburg Security Region.

Earlier Friday, the Limburg Water Board said that the leak had been closed for the time being. But a spokesman for the security region immediately put it into perspective that “poem” is a big word. The dike has been reinforced and propped up, he said, but the danger has not yet passed.

According to Rijkswaterstaat, there is not a hole, but a ‘well’: Maas water comes up under the dike. The upwelling water is sealed off with sandbags. That seems to work for now.

On Friday afternoon, emergency services discovered a large hole in the dike, after which numerous people from the area were hastily evacuated.

19.15 – Donated 200,000 euros in a few hours on ‘giro 777’ for Limburg

Within hours of the National Disaster Fund opening bank account number 777 for aid to South Limburg, more than 200,000 euros had already been donated.

Engaged citizens in particular have donated so far. “There are already thousands and thousands of individuals who have donated amounts of a tenner or 25 euros for the flood-affected area,” said a spokesman. Gifts can be transferred via www.giro777.nl or via any bank in the Netherlands to account number 777 (which will then be forwarded to NL28 INGB 0000 000 777), according to the organization.

Much damage to homes and businesses is covered by insurance. But there are also urgent needs that are not covered from other sources, according to National Disaster Funds. This concerns “support for small-scale projects that serve to get society going again,” says Clémence Ross-van Dorp, chairman of the National Disaster Fund.

“We are concerned with citizens’ initiatives that – after the mud has been shoveled away – help to alleviate local needs. The money, which hopefully will be given generously, will be distributed in collaboration with local people and organizations. They know where the greatest need is and can provide tailor-made solutions.”

18.15 – Minister Van Nieuwenhuizen will also visit Limburg in the coming days

Outgoing minister Cora van Nieuwenhuizen (Infrastructure and Water Management) will visit Limburg one of these days, which is being ravaged by flooding. It is not yet known when the minister will go to the province, or where she will visit.

18.00 – More than 10,000 people evacuated from more than 4,700 homes in Venlo

More than 10,000 people will be evacuated on Friday evening in the municipality of Venlo. According to a spokesperson for the municipality, this concerns 10,700 residents of 4746 homes.

These people live in lower parts of villages along the Maas, such as Arcen, Lomm, Velden, an area in Venlo itself, Tegelen, Steyl, Belfeld and Hout-Blerick, the municipality announced on Friday afternoon.

The evacuations will start at 6:00 PM. That is earlier than planned because the water is rising faster than expected, and because the municipality does not want people to leave the house at night.

People who cannot go to family or acquaintances are accommodated in community centers and other public buildings.

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17.50 – Army raises dike in Roermond with sandbags

The army has started raising the dike at the Alexanderhaven in Roermond. Over a length of 230 meters, the existing dike will be raised 40 centimeters with sandbags, a spokeswoman for the Limburg North Safety Region said.

The Maas has reached its highest level in Roermond since 3 p.m. The municipality decided on Friday afternoon to immediately evict and evacuate part of the Willem-Alexander business park. This part was threatened by the high water. It is the part that is the lowest. Everyone in that area had to leave.

17.00 – Thirteen security regions offer help to Limburg

Hundreds of firefighters from thirteen security regions provide assistance in flood-stricken Limburg. The fire brigade has set up a special action center in Zeist for specific requests for help from Limburg. These are divided among the safety regions, according to industry organization Brandweer Nederland.

In addition to helping hands, the fire brigade has already sent 130,000 sandbags and a thousand submersible pumps with aggregate to Limburg. In addition, emergency services in Limburg can knock on the door of the action center for help from specialists and for advice.

16.45 – Red Cross opens helpline for people in emergency disaster area Limburg

The Red Cross opened a helpline for people in the disaster area in Limburg from 4 p.m. on Friday. Anyone who needs manual labor can contact the number 070-445 888. Volunteers are ready to help people in the flood area, according to the organization.

For example, help is offered with clearing work, filling sandbags or offering a listening ear. Other requests for help can also be shared, such as psychosocial help. But practical help is also offered, such as calling in knowledge of electricity if, for example, there are problems with the power supply or shopping for the vulnerable.

For the time being, the helpline will be open from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Also on weekends.

16.25 – 270 homes in the municipality of Roerdalen threatened by the Roer

The residents of 270 houses near the Roer in the central Limburg municipality of Roerdalen have had to leave their homes. The houses are threatened by the high water of the Roer, the municipality of Roerdalen announced on Friday afternoon.

The peak of the Roer is expected to last for 30 to 48 hours, according to the municipality. It is unclear what this means for the magnitude of the nuisance in the overflow area of ​​the Roer.

Those who cannot find shelter with friends or family can visit the sports hall of Vlodrop and Sint Odiliënberg and community center De Harch in Herkenbosch.

“Who would have thought that a year after our major wildfire, we would have to face this,” said mayor Monique de Boer of Roerdalen. “Our residents along the Roer are used to high water. But this is unprecedented. This is what we are doing at the moment. Volunteers help fill sandbags. Neighbors and fellow villagers young and old help each other and offer a place to sleep.”

16.08 – Professor: high water remains exciting for other dikes

It remains exciting for a while whether the main dikes along the Maas will withstand the high water, says Professor of Hydraulic Engineering Bas Jonkman of TU Delft. “This is a kind of stress test for our system,” he says. Jonkman does not expect that the water will flow over the Maas dikes en masse. “But there may be weaker and not yet strengthened spots in the system,” he says.

In addition, there is a risk that water will penetrate under a dike. “A dike can become saturated. Something like this happened, for example, during the floods in New Orleans,” explains the professor. The risk is greatest for Limburg in the coming 24 hours. In Brabant the river is wider. This reduces the risk of flooding, but according to Jonkman, problems cannot be ruled out there either.

16.05 – Hole in dike Meerssen closed, army helps with sandbags

The hole in the dike of the Juliana Canal near Bunde and Meerssen was temporarily closed on Friday afternoon. This was announced by the Limburg Water Board. Immediately afterwards, a spokesperson for the South Limburg Security Region put into perspective that “poem” is a big word. The dike has been reinforced and propped up, he said, but the danger has not yet passed.

The army has been deployed to close a large hole in the dike of the Juliana Canal near Meerssen. Sandbags and Big Bags are placed.

For that reason, all villages and hamlets in the area were hastily evacuated on Friday afternoon. People had to move quickly to higher areas. According to the security region, the water had created a large hole. Local residents received an NL Alert with the message that everyone must leave the area immediately.

People in Bunde, Voulwames, Brommelen and Geulle left the area. Several sirens went off in the vicinity of the dike breach to warn people. “This area will be under water,” said the spokesman.

The security region advised people who had to leave to first turn off gas and light to prevent short circuits and fire. The main water tap also had to be closed before they closed the door behind them.

After the urgent call to leave and the air raid siren went off, many people ran to their cars. Others tried to take their animals, including horses, to a safe place.

There was a flow of traffic to higher parts. The road at the Juliana Canal has been closed. The police warned motorists who hesitated to drive on and hurry. Army vehicles and vehicles from other emergency services drove into the area, while residents drove the other way on the often narrow roads. According to reporters on the spot, the whole thing seemed chaotic.

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