House in Wilnis Sinks 51 Centimeters in One Night During Severe Storm

What looks like a miniature Leaning Tower of Pisa - but in the Dutch polder. The home of Eric Verburg and Astrid Sipkema in Wilnis sank 51 centimeters in a single night during heavy storms. The back of the house tore away from the rest of the building, and steel emergency supports are now keeping it upright.

"I almost feel sick when I look at my house now," Eric said while standing in front of the property. The house had already shown signs of subsidence - in May it had sunk about 13 centimeters - and foundation work was scheduled. But it never got that far. During a heavy rainstorm a month ago, the couple heard a loud bang. Tiles jumped off the walls and the floor lifted up.

After the subsidence, the kitchen was filled with chunks of concrete and the back of the house literally came loose. The couple tried to sleep in the house that night but couldn't last long. Every creak and movement caused panic. Neither the insurance company nor the municipality has offered much help.