Evening star., 1953-02-03
European Flood Toll
Above $500 Dead;
Cold Hits Refugees
BY the Associoted Press

by the ASsociufed PFeSS
AMSTERDAM, the Neither
lands, Feb. 3.-Grim and weary
searchers on both sides of the
English Channel and the North
Sea counted the total known
dead in Europe's greatest storm
and food disaster in centuries
above the 1,50O mark today as
Western Europe rushed aid to
stricken Holland, England and
Belgium.
Additional bodies by the hun
dreds were reported from Dutch
villages isolated by the sea waters
that rushed in some places 40
miles inland. Rain, snow fur
ries and near-freezing tempera-
lures added to the horror for
thousands still huddled on roof
tops or high ground for the third
day without food, water or medi-
cineS.
Premier Willen Drees told the
Dutch Parliament $4,000 persons
will have to be evacuated from
the stricken areas and resettled
in new homes.
This was the latest count of
the dead. compiled from both
official reports and reliable un-
official sources:
Holland, 991.
England, 514.
Belgium, %.
Total. 1927.
IL Americans Dead.
The dead included II Ameri-
cans in England. Seven other
Americans were missing there
and presumed dead. All were
airmen stationed in Britain, the
United States Air Force said, or
members of Air Force families.
The iceland section of South
west Holland and the Thames
Estuary of Southeast England
emerged as the chief centers of
death, destruction and misery
wrought by the hurricane
famed giant waves and tides
which crashed inland over the
week end. smashing everything
in their path.
Many sections of Holland still
were isolated, with as-yet-un-
recorded dead. Early today, 48
hours after the disaster struck,
word finally reached Amsterdam
that 200 people had drowned in
the tiny village of Stavenisse.
An exhausted messenger from
the burgomaSter Of Dude Tonge,
staggered to safety telling Of 18O
corpses piled high In q shed on
the twin islands of Goeree and
Over Flakkee. The same mes
senger said $500 people had
spent their third night on an
open dixie, in sleet and snow,
without water or medicine.
Thousand Square Miles Hit.
Another 10 persons were miss
ing from the village of Stellen-
dam. on the same island.
From dozens of stricken towns
and villages in Holland an6
England the refugees flowed into
hastily set up camps and CEN
ters. Many of them were i'll,
most of them hungry, all of
them homeless.
With communications still
widely disrupted, Dutch officials
as yet could make no accurate
estimate of the missing or home
less. A thousand square miles
were estimated hooded-most of
the % islands of iceland and
South Holland and some Of the
worlds richest soil. More than
SO Dutch cities, towns and viii
lagos had reported deaths so far.
Estimates placed the total
British missing at between 600
and 1000. Britain counted about
35, 900 homeless and 250, 900 acres
of land flooded.
Dikes Being ShOred Up.
British rescue efforts were
slowed by a frantic fight to shore
up the preached English dikes
against the possibility Of new on
slaughtS from the sea. The once
hurricane winds were still mod
erating-8 to 18 miles an hour
predicted today-but seasonal
high tides due again in about
two weeks could bring fresh dis
aSter.
American and Allied armed