New risks arise as water levels sink in Limburg; Roermond residents able to return

The flooding in Limburg has entered a new phase, chair of the Limburg Noord Security Region, Antoin Scholten, said during a press conference on Sunday. Residents of Roermond that were urgently told to leave on Thursday due to rapidly rising water levels have now been allowed to return to their homes.

The sinking water levels posed a new threat. Some dikes may be overly saturated and could still collapse. Authorities are, therefore, analyzed individually for each municipality if it was safe for inhabitants to enter their homes again.

“Last night was calmer than before. We are now in a new phase. One in which there is a difference between north and south”, Scholten said. “The south is beginning the deal with the aftermath while tensions in the north are still high.”

According to Scholten, the emergency dikes and raised quays were successful in preventing further damage from occurring.

Residents from Hambeek and Hammerveld in Roermond were able to venture back to their homes during the early Sunday afternoon. The municipality stated there had been no damage to the 560 apartments at risk of flooding. The municipality of Roermond advised people on Twitter to take pictures should they find any damage and send it to their insurer.