The Netherlands is repairing its longest flood defense

The Hague - The Netherlands will reconstruct its main 30-kilometer long dike, which has protected most of its territory from flooding for three-quarters of a century. The repair is expected to cost up to one billion dollars (about 21 billion crowns). Afterward, the dike should better withstand rising sea levels and potential giant waves, wrote the Reuters agency.
    The Netherlands will commemorate the 75th anniversary of the completion of the Afsluitdijk, the longest dike in the country that holds back the surge of waters from the North Sea, on Thursday. Following the construction of the dike, the freshwater lake Ijsselmeer was created, serving primarily as a drinking water reservoir.
    The sea poses a significant threat to the Netherlands, as two-thirds of its territory is below sea level. The government fears that a possible giant wave, similar to the one that devastated the Southeast Asian coast in late 2004, could result in up to 230,000 deaths in the Netherlands. The increasing sea level also raises concerns among authorities.
    The country still has vivid memories of the floods of 1953, when the waves after a storm in the North Sea could not be stopped even by the dikes. The disaster claimed 1,800 human lives.
    According to ministry advisor Hans Voß, work on the Afsluitdijk, which stands 7.5 meters above sea level, should be completed by 2020. Experts are considering raising and widening the dike. Currently, it is up to 125 meters wide in places. There is also consideration for building a larger number of sluices, which would allow for better regulation of water flow.