Water filled a floodplain along the Waal River in Varik, Gelderland. 26 December 2023
© NL TimesWater filled a floodplain along the Waal River in Varik, Gelderland. 26 December 2023
The rainy Christmas Day has caused significant inconvenience throughout the Netherlands. The problems are mainly in Overijssel and Gelderland, but also in Drenthe and Noord-Brabant where people were troubled by flooded basements, roads, and cycle paths. Prime Minister Mark Rutte said authorities were on top of the high water situation despite the national holiday.

"The high water is causing nuisance in various parts of the country. We are closely monitoring the situation and taking measures where necessary," Rutte wrote on X. "I wish everyone in the Netherlands dealing with the unpleasant consequences of the heavy rainfall a lot of strength." He went on to thank infrastructure workers at Rijkswaterstaat, regional water board staff, those tasked with protecting the dikes, and emergency services personnel for "working so hard, even during the holidays."




A partial flood in a electricity station also led to a power outage affecting over 11,000 households around Nijverdal, Overijssel, on Tuesday morning. The outage persisted for several hours, but it was largely resolved by about 9:15 a.m. The fire brigade pumped out the water at the station. The issue was first reported at about 3:30 a.m. By 6 a.m., 4,600 households were re-connected, a spokesperson for grid operator Enexis reported.

Only about 450 homes were still without power at 8:30 a.m.. It was expected that this would be resolved around 9:30 a.m. Those whose power was restored should not immediately use heavy appliances that run on electricity, including ovens, washing machines and microwaves, the spokesperson said. Then there is a chance that the power will go out again, she explained. "It's a delicate balance."

The Overijssel hamlet of Fortmond in the municipality of Olst-Wijhe was no longer accessible by car on Monday night due to the high water, according to De Stentor. Residents and visitors were taken to and from the mainland by a special ferry. In the rural area of ​​Losser, streets were flooded because the Ruhenbergerbeek Riveer overflowed.

De Gelderlander reported that employees and volunteers in Poederoijen, part of the municipality of Zaltbommel, rescued 120 Konik horses and cattle, and brought them to safety. The area where the animals normally graze will probably be flooded on Thursday.

In Drenthe, fields were flooded and the Hart van Drenthe nature reserve was virtually impassable in some places due to high water, reported RTV Drenthe. A small sinkhole formed in Eelde and part of the Brouwersteeg/Hoofdweg intersection was cordoned off.

At the Kanthoeve recreation park in Bakel, Noord-Brabant, the toilets in about a hundred holiday homes overflowed because the sewage system could no longer drain rainwater, Omroep Brabant reported. According to the regional broadcaster, restaurant Het Wapen in Kaatsheuvel was flooded for hours because a pumping station stopped, and sewage water flowed into the catering facility via the toilets. The fire brigade pumped out the water and the restaurant was able to open again.

According to 1Limburg, the Niers River in northern Limburg reached the highest measured discharge ever at 28 cubic meters per second. There are high water levels, especially in the north of the province, but this did not lead to major problems anywhere on Monday night, even with the evening rainfall.

People who parked a vehicle along the Lek near Vianen were told to quickly remove their car from parking lot P3, reported RTV Utrecht. The car park is located behind the summer dike and was in danger of flooding as the water level rose rapidly. Vehicles were also moved from a parking lot along the Lek near Duurstede.

Reporting by ANP and NL Times