The next morning, when aircraft’s were able to fly over these areas, they could see the real proportions of the disaster. Zeeland, the south part of Zuid-Holland and the west part of Noord-Brabant were severely damaged. Except for a few small parts Schouwen-Duiveland and Goeree- Overflakee were completely vanished. This was a national catastrophe. 48 Kilometers of dikes were burst and 139 kilometers of dikes were damaged from which 51 kilometers beyond repairs. Because there was a shortage of boats and vessels with a less depth many victims could not be released in time from their critical situation. And if there were boats one should be familiar with the local situation for a rescue attempt could easily be stranded against the many obstacles under the waterline. Several boats were crashed and damaged by the many steel-pointed garden fences which could not be seen just under the surface. For many the rescue came too late, for days they waited for help and fell off trees from exhaustion. Others died because in their isolated villages was no heath, drinking water or hardly any food. Meanwhile the Dutch Red Cross Organization started a collection for clothes, food, household goods, furniture, toys and blankets. On Monday February 2nd The Red Cross reported there was f 2 million in a special fund. The amount of clothes and other goods was so big that on February 4th the Red Cross asked to stop the collection. There came too much. Also foreign countries gave assistance. They sent blankets, money, helicopters and soldiers and helped to evacuate the victims. In corporation with several airports around the distressed area people started an airlift. Many of the victims who were stuck on roofs of houses were rescued by helicopters. Planes dropped food and rafts on the villages and to people who were stuck on small island-like pieces of dry ground.