Evacuating during a flood in Amsterdam
Machine translation from Dutch, not yet checked by a clinician.
Parts of Amsterdam lie below sea level. If a dyke breaks or rainfall is extreme, acting fast is essential.
What to do
• Follow direct instructions from the City of Amsterdam via NL-Alert or local radio
• Take your emergency kit: documents, medication, water, phone
• When told to, leave the area immediately via the marked evacuation route
• Go to higher floors if evacuation is not possible
• Contact 14020 (City of Amsterdam) for shelter information
Do not do
• Never walk or drive through flood water — 15 cm is enough to carry you away
• Do not ignore evacuation orders
• Do not go back for belongings
Warning signs
• Water rising fast inside the house
• A dyke breach reported nearby
Get help if
• You cannot leave the area on your own
• There are injured people close to you
Why this matters
Flood water carries dangerous contamination and flows faster than it looks. Early evacuation saves lives.
Source: Gemeente Amsterdam Crisisplan · reviewed 2025-01-01