Project 'Stroomgaten Markering 1953'
96 breaches
During the 1953 Flood, the water caused 377 breaches in the dikes in the Netherlands. Through 96 of these breaches, the water flowed in and out continuously, day and night, for a long time - the so-called 'stroomgaten'. These deep breaches were difficult to seal.
Today, there is no trace of these breaches left. The dikes have been repaired, and thanks to the Delta Works, the likelihood of such a disaster happening again is smaller than ever. However, it is important to remember the immense damage the water once caused.
"You can't imagine that this area was once underwater; that the dikes were so weak."
Koos Hage experienced the Flood when he was 6 years old. He lost his mother and older sister to the water when their farm in Stavenisse was flooded.
In 2013, Koos Hage began a project to make all the breaches visible again and to commemorate the Flood. At the locations where the breaches once were, he placed basalt pillars along the new dikes. From these points, you can look out over both the land and the water. These pillars not only mark the location of the breach , but also depict the date of when it was repaired.
In Zierikzee, Stavenisse, Willemstad, and Halsteren, larger stones can also be found. These regional stones show where the breach pillars can be found and indicate how many people became victims of the Flood in that area.
When you visit the former breaches today, try to imagine the extent of the damage that occurred in 1953.
