Dutch news in brief, 26 August 2005

Footballer struck by lightning

A 20-year-old soccer player was in critical condition on Friday after being struck by lightning. The unnamed player for Kloetinge Football Club’s second eleven was hit by the bolt in Zeeland Province on Thursday evening during a championship match against Wolfaartsdijk Football Club, police said. A 35-year-old woman from Walsoorden in Zeeland died last week when she was struck by lightning while walking her dog. Meteorological agency KNMI said an average of three people a year were hit by lightning annually in the Netherlands. It is best to avoid water, open areas and places were a lot of iron is present during thunder storms, the KNMI said.

Refinery leak investigated

Environmental inspectors are being assisted by Shell and refinery Q8 in the investigation of two recent incidents at refineries in Rotterdam. Shell and the Q8 refinery are assisting, a spokesperson for the Rijnmond inspectorate said on Friday. A large amount of sulphur dioxide escaped from the Q8 facility on the Moezelweg in the Europoort industrial district last Monday. Shell’s operations in Rotterdam lost electrical power on 14 July but no chemicals or gases leaked. The investigators will try to establish what happened and how similar problems can be avoided in future.

Five held for Enschede volleyball riot

Police officers arrested five people on Friday in connection with a violent incident at Acaciaplein in Enschede on 21 August. The suspects range in age from 25 to 67. Three other people were arrested earlier in the week and police say they are looking for others. A neighbourhood volleyball tournament on Acaciaplein degenerated into a massive punch up when a crowd of 150 to 200 people turned on two families. The incident began when a 45-year-old man was punched in the face. The two families were brought to safety by the police but there was an arson attack on a house belonging to one family. The volleyball competition went hand-in-hand with a lot of alcohol, police say.

Weather costs farmers millions

Extreme weather conditions in recent months have cost farmers in Zeeland Province millions, the southern branch of agricultural organisation LTO said on Friday. The LTO said the heat in June, followed by hailstones and extreme rainfall in July and August had damaged crops of seed and edible potatoes and onions in particular. Damage was caused by the rain last Saturday when 80 to 120 millimetres of water fell in coastal regions and there was more severe showers in recent days, the organisation said.

Subject: Dutch news