News item | 19-11-2023 | 11:27
On Sunday, November 19, an expert team will leave for France with four emergency pumps. The country has submitted a request for emergency aid to the EU due to the extreme amount of rainwater that falls there. In Northern France, houses and streets are flooded.
The European Union will pay 75% of this emergency aid from the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management is responsible for the implementation and pays 25% of the costs. How much it will cost in total depends on how long the pumps are needed.
Minister Harbers (Infrastructure and Water Management) says: “The situation in France is becoming more dire with every drop. The rain that falls from the sky can no longer be properly drained there. That is why I think it is good that we are going to support the country. The emergency pumps and the Dutch experts can help the area get rid of the water as quickly as possible.”
On the way to France
The four emergency pumps and a crane are transported to the French city of Dunkirk using three trucks. The first two pumps will leave together with the crane on Sunday, the other two will follow a few days later. Five or six Dutch experts also travel with us: three drivers and two or three pump experts. Each pump can process 5000 liters of water per hour.
Patricia Zorko, Deputy Director General of Rijkswaterstaat, has decided that these pumps can be transported to France. “As Rijkswaterstaat, we have 225 years of experience in draining water. The situation in France is urgent, so our team of experts is happy to assist. With these pumps we can hopefully ensure that the consequences of the severe weather are limited in a number of places.”
Capacity in the Netherlands
A lot of rain has also fallen in the Netherlands in recent weeks. Rijkswaterstaat and the water boards are monitoring the situation, they are currently still able to drain the water quickly. The Netherlands has a total of twenty emergency pumps, ten of which can process 5,000 liters per hour and ten 3,000 liters per hour.