Helicopters Drop Tons of Rocks Into Water After Dam Breaks in Netherlands

Two Dutch military helicopters dropped large bags full of rocks to help construct a temporary dam in the city of Maastricht on January 6 and 7, after rainy weather and high water levels led to a breach in a spillway dam.

The national water management agency, Rijkswaterstaat, said the rocks helped form a temporary dam at Bosscherveld in Maastricht that was completed on Monday and which allowed crews to begin repair work on the damaged spillway.

About 60 bags collectively weighing about 480,000 kilograms (529 US tons) were dropped into the water by the two CH-47F Chinook helicopters, according to the Dutch Air Force and Rijkswaterstaat.

This footage from Rijkswaterstaat showed rubble being poured into the water before the helicopters arrived, the two helicopters operating on Saturday and Sunday, and heavy machinery being used on Monday to reinforce the temporary dam with rocks. Credit: Rijkswaterstaat via Storyful

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