Restaurant owner after flood in the Netherlands: "Everything is gone"

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Valkenburg is cleaning up.

The floods also caused chaos in the Netherlands.

Not only private homes are affected, the water has also destroyed economic livelihoods.

Paulien van Ogtrop's restaurant was also devastated.

Paulien van Ogtrop, restaurant owner:

»That is not normal.

Nothing, absolutely nothing is undamaged. "

The past year was already difficult for the catering industry due to the pandemic.

Van Ogtrop had used the time for renovations - which is why the flood hits them even harder.

Paulien van Ogtrop, restaurant owner:

»During the lockdowns we expanded our building, installed a new kitchen and bought new furniture.

We have spent a lot of our savings.

Now everything is gone.

Just go away."

Valkenburg is located in the province of Limburg, around 30 kilometers from Aachen.

The Geul runs directly through the village.

When the water rose rapidly here, many businesses could no longer be saved.

Justin Bermers, Bar Owner:

“At first we thought the water would rise that high.

But in the course of the evening it got dramatic.

At first you think that you can contain and prevent this.

But in the end we had to say, “We're going to stop.

We're letting that happen now because there's nothing we can do. "

Justin Bremers' pub has now also been completely destroyed.

Several old people's homes had to be evacuated in the city and at least one bridge was destroyed.

Maastricht, around ten kilometers away, is also under water.

There were also evacuations here.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte declared the flood in the province a national disaster.

In contrast to Belgium and Germany, there have been no fatalities in the Netherlands so far.