Inspectors Peter Blommaart and Erik Bijlsma of Rijkswaterstaat - the executive arm of the Ministry of Infrastructure & the Environment – have been in the stricken area since last week, along with Wijnand Evers of Groot Salland Water Authority and Theo Reuzenaar of Hollands Noorderkwartier District Water Authority.
The Netherlands responded to the British government’s call for assistance by deploying the dyke inspection team. The inspectors are working in pairs with their English colleagues and will remain in the UK until Friday.
Evers said: “The power of water, as we well know, is enormous. We are inspecting dykes and we are sharing our findings with our English colleagues. What people here are experiencing is truly out of the ordinary.”
Persisting rain has saturated the ground and rivers are virtually unable to get rid of surplus water. Tides are a complicating factor in the discharge of water into the sea.
On Sunday morning, an inspection of dykes in the flooded area was carried out from a helicopter. The general condition of the dike was examined. Blommaart said: “You can see that the streams and rivers simply cannot get rid of so much water. Given the circumstances, the condition of the dikes is reasonable. The inspection will aid in identifying areas for attention and in sharing knowledge with our colleagues at the Environment Agency.”
The Dutch inspectors said that they could see that their colleagues at the Environment Agency are doing everything they can to prevent further flooding. “They are highly committed and are eager to share knowledge and experiences. Moreover, they are very interested in the Dutch way of managing water,” said Blommaart.
The response of residents in the area visited by the inspectors has also been enthusiastic and warm. “You can see that they are happy we are here. They wish us success and are hoping that our expertise can aid the Environment Agency in its battle with water,” he added.
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