The Hague, Jan 13 (AFP) Storm surges and tidal cyclescaused record sea levels along the coast of the Netherlandslast year, a Dutch marine institute has found.
"The level has been rising gradually since 1890 by about0.2 cm per year due to the melting of the ice and the warmingup of the ocean," expert Fedor Baart, of the researchorganisation Deltares, said in a statement yesterday.
"That means that, as a rule, you expect the sea level tobe higher every year."Sea and water levels are carefully watched in theNetherlands, as much of the country lies below sea-level andis protected from flooding by a series of defences such asdykes, sand dunes, windmills to pump away water andsophisticated barrages.
In 2017, the institute measured the average sea levelsalong the Dutch coast to be 11 centimetres (over four inches)higher than normal water levels in Amsterdam, a gauge known asthe NAP.
The previous highest reading was in 2007 when the waterwas nine centimetres above the NAP.
The institute said in 2017 "there were several stormsurges in a single year for the first time since 2007," whichhad contributed to the high water levels.
Bad storms can temporarily push water levels up by ameter, which accounts for an average rise of about onecentimetre, Baart explained.
The institute also highlighted that every 18.6 years theseas rise and fall by two centimetres on a tidal cycle.
"The last peak was in 2004, and the level is now risingagain to the next peak in early 2023," Deltares said in astatement.
It stressed however that "the Dutch coast can cope withextreme water levels" and said "the sea level on the Dutchcoast is rising by 20 centimetres every century".
Dutch water defences were completely overhauled andimproved after devastating floods in 1953 which left 1,800people dead. (AFP)CPS.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.