Floor – When the dikes break

In 2016, the EO made the series ‘If the dikes break’. The series shows what can happen if a storm damages the dikes and seawater can flow into our country. The big question is: is that really possible? The short answer: yes, you can. But the chance is very small. The Netherlands has the best protected delta in the world. “The flood defenses in the Netherlands are designed for a storm that can occur once every 10,000 years,” says Harold van Waveren, water safety specialist at Rijkswaterstaat. “Even then, most barriers will hold, but there is still a risk that the dikes will break in a number of places.”