Delta Commissioner commemorates flood disaster victims
Today, Delta Commissioner Wim Kuijken joined the Royal Commissioner of Zeeland, the Mayor of Schouwen-Duiveland, many surviving relatives and other interested parties in the commemoration of the disastrous flood that took so many lives on 1 February 1953.
Sixty-two years ago today, large parts of the provinces of Zeeland and West-Brabant and the Zuid-Holland islands were flooded. More than 1800 people and many animals were drowned; 100,000 people lost their home and possessions. 1 February is also the day on which the Delta Commissioner started his work, five years ago.
“Commemoration is important, both in remembering the victims and in looking ahead towards the future of our country. Today marks exactly five years since I started my work as Delta Commissioner. I will continue to come here every year. This is where the past, the present and the future come together. Over the past year, the Cabinet has taken significant decisions to continue working on the safety of our country in the thirty years ahead. These measures will enable us to prevent a disaster like the one that occurred in 1953,” the Delta Commissioner remarked.