1. Floods in Netherlands

2. During the floods in January/February 1995 threeriverscourses of Maas,Waal and Nederrijn in the central delta area of the Netherlandswereaffected

3. In the winter the flooding was exceptional as a result of a long periododcontinuous intensive rainfallcombinedwithsnowmeltingdue to abnormally in France,Belgium ,Germany and The Nederlands for the last 60 years

4. Water impregnation and seepageseverelyweakened the water dikes as result of the prolongedperiod of flooding and the extreme height of the water level, nearor over the critical level

5. On 30 January, evacuation of 75 000 inhabitants and theircattlebeganfrom the area of ’’Land van Maas en Waal’’, a ‘’waard’’ between the rivers in the central part of the Netherlands • Fortunately the evacuationturned out to beonlypreventive ,as no important dikefailuresoccured, thanks to day and nightmonitoring