Disasters, Crises, and Emergencies
A disaster can strike anywhere in the Netherlands, including in your area. You may experience a prolonged power outage, no water coming from the tap, extreme weather, or you may have to temporarily leave your home due to the risk of an explosion, a major fire, or other exceptional circumstances. It’s a good idea to be prepared for these situations.
Well Prepared
On the "Be Prepared " page, you can read about three steps you can take yourself: put together an emergency kit, come up with an emergency plan, and discuss it with your family, friends, and neighbors. On that page, you’ll also find the booklet "Prepare for an Emergency" from the Dutch government.
NL-Alert
NL-Alert is a government-run emergency alert system for cell phones. NL-Alert is used in situations that threaten life or health, such as a major fire releasing toxic smoke, a risk of explosion, or a flood. NL-Alert notifies you via your phone about an emergency in your immediate vicinity. The message explains what is happening and what you should do at that moment.
Are you not yet receiving messages on your cell phone? Visit nl-alert.nlto find out how to set this up.
Extreme weather
When extreme weather is on the way, the KNMI issues an advance warning or weather alert via radio, TV, and the internet. Unfortunately, extreme weather cannot always be predicted. It can occur suddenly and be very localized. For more information about the weather and weather alerts, always visitknmi.nl.
Flood Risk
Onoverstroomik.nland the accompanying app, you can see if you live in a flood-prone area and what you should do in the event of a flood.
Evacuation
Fire and explosion hazards can spread in the blink of an eye. Do you know how to handle an evacuation? For more information, visit nivb.nl
What do you do if the power or gas goes out?
What should you do if the power or gas goes out? First, check to see if you’re the only one on the street without power. If so, the problem is with your home’s electrical connection, and you can fix it by replacing an appliance and/or a fuse.
If your laptop or cell phone is still working, please follow the updates on this website. Your electricity and gas providers will keep you informed viastedin.netorliander.nl. In other cases, please call the national outage hotline toll-free at 0800 9009.
Preparing for an event
Being prepared before attending a large event can make all the difference in the event of an emergency. Make sure you know where to go if something serious happens. The event organizers are required to take precautionary measures. Always be mindful of your own safety as well.
Additional Information
A major disaster always receives a great deal of attention on radio and TV. If necessary, the national government can require public broadcasters to allocate airtime in the event of a national disaster. If something happens in your area, tune in to the regional stationRadio West (89.3 FM).
Using the risk map, you can easily identify risks in your area by entering your ZIP code or city. You can see if there is an increased risk in your area of, for example, an aviation accident, wildfire, or flood, and receive advice on what to do in such a situation.