As the frequency and severity of thunderstorms is set to increase due to climate change, the municipality of Leeuwarden wants the city to do more to protect itself from flash flooding.
The Leeuwarder Courant reports that the municipality has collaborated with the local water authorities to create a map of the areas of the city most vulnerable to flooding.
The map highlights which streets, parks and other spots in the Frisian capital would become flooded if 60 millimetres or more of rain were to fall within a short period. The mapping project also looked at other municipalities across Friesland and concluded that many areas would be prone to as much as 40 centimetres of flooding from severe downpours.
According to the municipality, there are a number of measures that could be taken to better protect these vulnerable areas from cloudbursts, such as dedicated rainwater drainage systems, gutters or elevated pavements. The municipality may eventually require residents with tiled over back gardens to improve drainage conditions on their property.
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