Flood warning helps reduce damage

Floods continue to occupy minds in our country. Last month, research showed that the floods in Limburg have taken many residents by surprise (1). This month, the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) announced that seismometers can be used to warn in time (2). And finally, the Association has adapted seven insurance cards so that consumers are better informed about the risk of flooding (3).

1. Research Deltares and VU Amsterdam

Let's start at the beginning. At the end of October, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Deltares published a study that showed that the floods in the summer of 2021 came as a surprise to some residents. These residents were totally unprepared for so much water, had not made any preparations and suffered a lot of damage.

Prevention significantly reduces damage

In the study, the researchers write, among other things, that "up to 45 percent of residents in the threatened area indicate that they have not received timely flood warnings." That's a shame, because evacuation advice contributes significantly to residents' decision to evacuate. More than eighty percent of the alerted group has been evacuated, compared to about twenty percent of those who were not warned.

Twenty to fifty percent less damage

It is also striking that more than three-quarters of the evacuated residents were able to go to family and friends. Central reception places have played only a small role. Less than five percent has been taken care of there.
The researchers also concluded that about half of the warned households were able to move their cars to a safe place. For the group that was not warned, this was a quarter.
And finally, other measures, such as elevating belongings or having a water-resistant floor, have reduced flood damage by twenty to fifty percent.

Conclusions

VU professor and research leader Wouter Botzen concludes that "greater risk awareness ensures that citizens are better prepared for flooding, which limits the damage. And those damage mitigation measures can play an important role in reducing flood risks."

Curious about the complete study? Click here.

2. Research into seismic measurements that can provide timely warning of flooding

Many still have the horrific images of the floods in Limburg in their minds. Mayor Daan Prevoo put it this way in an earlier interview with the Association : "Streets and houses were in ruins, while bridges and other infrastructure were completely washed away."
The vibrations generated by all that debris were recorded by seismic stations. New research shows that these measurements "can closely monitor the development of the water level, the amount of debris and the speed at which the flood is moving in real-time," according to the KNMI. This means that the seismometers can be used to warn of severe flooding in good time.
The Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) emphasises in a news article that these seismic measurements can be a valuable addition to early warning systems. The institute is also developing its own Early Warning Centre (EWC) to be able to warn society earlier and in more detail about dangerous weather. More information about the EWC can be found on the KNMI website .

3. Insurance cards provide more clarity

Finally, insurers themselves have not been idle either. After it became clear that many consumers and SME entrepreneurs are not or insufficiently aware of the risk they run, and the wider range of insurance on offer, the Association has adapted seven insurance cards. The aim is to better inform customers about their flood coverage, but also to make them aware of the options available to insure against a local flood. "Each insurance company has its own Insurance Card. This is a brief overview of the insurance policy that contains the most important information. One of the sections relates to coverage restrictions and a new permanent section on flooding has now been added. This adjustment applies to building, contents and recreational home insurance. But also for building, inventory, greenhouse and business interruption insurance. We have called on our members to supplement their cards with this section, so that customers are even better informed," says Patricia Swienink, Program Manager Customer Interest & Reputation.

Want to know more about the Insurance Cards? Watch the video.