Water main break floods Amsterdam Zuid neighborhood

A burst in the water main has flooded part of Amsterdam-Zuid. The burst is located at the junction of Amstelveenseweg and Van der Boechorstraat. Firefighters and emergency services are at the scene. The flooding is in the vicinity of the Free University and the VU Medical Center. The VU hospital had to close the emergency room and outpatients clinic. The hospital is keeping people updated on the situation on Twitter.

Update wateroverlast: Alle acute afdelingen zijn gesloten. Ook de polikliniek is dicht.

— Amsterdam UMC (@amsterdamumc) September 8, 2015

According to RTL Nieuws, the hospital has shut off the power as a precaution, leaving at least 400 patients in the dark. The Amsterdam-Amstelland police has announced that this is to prevent short circuits. "Patients are being prepared for a possible evacuation, should the emergency generators not work", a spokesperson for the police said.

Update wateroverlast: Patiënten die in het ziekenhuis liggen, zullen indien noodzakelijk worden geëvacueerd naar andere ziekenhuizen.

— Amsterdam UMC (@amsterdamumc) September 8, 2015

According to the police spokesperson, the leak was plugged around 9:15 a.m. and Waternet is currently busy with the natural run-off of the water. A spokesperson for the fire department told NU that firefighters and other emergency services are at the scene with heavy equipment to provide assistance where necessary.

Gesprongen waterleiding #vanderboechorststraat zorgt voor veel wateroverlast. Hulpdiensten ter plaatse.

— Brandweer AA (@BrandweerAA) September 8, 2015

Water wordt op dit moment weggepomp met behulp van putzuigers en pompen #wateroverlast #Boelelaan Updates zie: http://t.co/AJgVAaZEui

— Waternet (@Waternet) September 8, 2015

Several cars are underwater due to the flood. Eyewitnesses told NRC that the road seems to have turned into a fast flowing river. The burst has also affected traffic in the area. According to traffic information service VID, the S108 exit on the A10 has been closed. "Because of this closure there is a traffic jam on the outer ring of the A10 before the Nieuwe Meer junction. How long the closure will last is still unclear." There are also traffic jams on the A10 west and south of the city and on the A4 between Hoofddorp and Amsterdam.

Ondertussen bij t VUMc pic.twitter.com/TPUZzorT4X

— lizzy diercks (@lizzydiercks) September 8, 2015

Een overzichtelijk kaartje van de wateroverlast in Zuid http://t.co/7bdUxOo8th pic.twitter.com/1bBMc188rM

— Het Parool (@parool) September 8, 2015