Delta Commissioner visits Waterkracht flood exercise in Venlo
‘In the Delta Programme, since 2010, we have been working hard on the prevention of flooding in both the short and the long term. But if things should go sour, we must be well prepared! And we can do so by focusing on being prepared. In the decades ahead, we will be expending more efforts on climate-proofing our country, our cities and our villages. In addition, we need to ensure that our disaster management is up to standard. Key elements are timely evacuation and giving the residents a blueprint for action. This is the responsibility of the Safety Regions and they are making good progress.’ Quote Delta Commissioner Wim Kuijken. ‘An exercise such as Waterkracht [Water Power] this week in Venlo is invaluable,’ he continues.
Waterkracht
On Monday, 13 April 2015, Noord-Limburg kicked off a large-scale, multi-day flood exercise: Waterkracht. On Wednesday, 15 April, Safety Region Limburg-Noord, Peel en Maasvallei Water Board, the Ministry of Defence and Rijkswaterstaat Zuid-Nederland organised a visitors programme for administrators involved in flood protection.
Since the last floods in 1993 and 1995, large sums have been invested in safety measures. And we are still working hard on strengthening dykes and dams. Yet they will always pose some risk: dykes and dams may flood or collapse. In order to be well prepared for such calamities, it is important for the various disciplines to join forces. Especially the disciplines that do not collaborate on a daily basis. The Waterkracht exercise took place in the administrative district of the Peel en Maasvallei Water Board; the Meuse basin from Maasgouw up to and including Mook en Middelaar. The “physical” part of the exercise was restricted to the city of Venlo, where patients from VieCuri hospital as well as residents and entrepreneurs were faced with evacuation.