A leaking dyke near Rotterdam which was threatening to flood one of the Netherlands' deepest polders has been repaired. The leak was discovered on Monday.

The dyke separates a high-level canal and a low-lying polder area. The local Schieland water authority told reporters that the recent dry spell probably tempted moles to dig closer to the canal. In addition, the drought weakened the structure of the peat dyke. Heavy rains over the weekend then broke down the moles' tunnelling and increased the weight of the topsoil, causing a small landslide.

The initial trickle from the canal, which flooded some grassland near the dyke, could have inundated the Zuidplas polder which is home to 40,000 people.

The photo shows the high-level canal on the right, and the low-lying polder on the left. (RTV Rijnmond screenshot)

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