GREAT FLOODS IN HOLLAND

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2670, 17 January 1916, Page 6

GREAT FLOODS IN HOLLAND

TERRIBLE DISASTER FEARED DYKES OF THE ZUDYER GIVE WAY TOWNS ISOLATED i By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright 1 (Rec. January 16, 5.5 p.m.) ' Amsterdam, January 15. ' The whole of tho northern portion of Holland is in danger of being flooded owing to the bursting of the Zuyder Zee dykes at various points. The people have fled from Edam 1 and other towns. Volendam is entirely flooded, and' the water is pouring in with terrific force at Broekimvaterland. Tho storm caused a tidal wave, which has destroyed railway communication with South Holland. . ' LATERMTAILS GRAVE FEARS FOR NORTH HOLLAND (Rec. January 16, 5 5 p.m.) Amsterdam, January 15.' A great storm, with most serious floods, has visited Northern Holland. The population was awakened by tho ringing of alarm bells, and were terrorstricken to find that they were confronted by the Waters , which were rushing through the streets and houses. Soldiers and civilians vied in their efforts to prevent the extension of the floods. Volendam is completely 1 isolated, Merken entirely submerged, and Nonnickenzam is partially under water. It is feared that the whole of North Holland will be inundated. The dyke near'Muiden broke at 2 a.m., flooding the streets. The people spent the night combating the flood. There were similar inundations at Broek, the water pouring over the dyke with a noise like thunder. Some of the houses were swept away, and the' population fled 1 in boats. Many cattle have been' drowned in the low-lyiug Polderiand. At Broek and Edam.the cattle were stalled in the churches, where the people were taking refuge. ( Reports are coining in from Hoorn, Naarden, Buik, and Sloot, telling of the alarm and contusion which followed the ringing of the alarm bells in the midst of the darkness and the storm. [The .flood menace in Holland is everpresent, but for years has been -under effective control. One quarter of the whole kingdom of Holland lies below tlie Amsterdam zero —the average highwater level of the Y at Amsterdam at the time when it was still open to the Zuyder Zee —and a system of dykes, or stop-banks, prevents the country from being converted into a shallow sea. A disastrous inundation in 1451 destroyed 72 villages and 100,000 lives.]