The effects of the Christmas Flood were noticeable for a long time. The farmlands were unusable for years and the mosquitoes living in the remaining brackish water pools caused a malaria epidemic. Even now, the traces of the enormous floods can still be found in the Groningen landscape. At Warffum and Den Andel, the remains of the old sea dike, which was almost completely destroyed, are still visible. The church of Westernieland has a front door that opens onto the empty meadow to the west of the village. At the time, there was a part of the village that was swept away by the waves and rebuilt on the east side of the church. Many spiritual leaders saw the flood disaster as a punishment from God for the immoral behavior and the sins of the inhabitants of the affected areas, but there was also a more administrative discussion about coastal defense policy and dike management. For a long time, the administrators of the city of Groningen and the Ommelanden disagreed about the responsibility for and the financing of the dyke repair. After mediation by Friesland, where the dikes were in better order and less damage had been suffered, an agreement could eventually be reached and Thomas van Seeratt, as provincial commission responsible for the Groningen dikes, was commissioned to repair the dikes. Van Seeratt, who was born in Sweden and had sailed the oceans for more than twenty years, had already warned in 1716 about the poor condition of the Groningen dikes. His warnings were ignored, with dire consequences. For a long time, the administrators of the city of Groningen and the Ommelanden were in disagreement about the responsibility for and financing of the dyke repair. After mediation by Friesland, where the dikes were in better order and less damage had been suffered, an agreement could eventually be reached and Thomas van Seeratt, provincially responsible for the Groningen dikes, was commissioned to repair the dikes. Van Seeratt, who was born in Sweden and had sailed the oceans for more than twenty years, had already warned in 1716 about the poor condition of the Groningen dikes. His warnings were ignored, with dire consequences. For a long time, the administrators of the city of Groningen and the Ommelanden were in disagreement about the responsibility for and financing of the dyke repair. After mediation by Friesland, where the dikes were in better order and less damage had been suffered, an agreement could eventually be reached and Thomas van Seeratt, provincially responsible for the Groningen dikes, was commissioned to repair the dikes. Van Seeratt, who was born in Sweden and had sailed the oceans for more than twenty years, had already warned in 1716 about the poor condition of the Groningen dikes. His warnings were ignored, with dire consequences. After mediation by Friesland, where the dikes were in better order and less damage had been suffered, an agreement could eventually be reached and Thomas van Seeratt, as provincial commission responsible for the Groningen dikes, was commissioned to repair the dikes. Van Seeratt, who was born in Sweden and had sailed the oceans for more than twenty years, had already warned in 1716 about the poor condition of the Groningen dikes. His warnings were ignored, with dire consequences. After mediation by Friesland, where the dikes were in better order and less damage had been suffered, an agreement could eventually be reached and Thomas van Seeratt, as provincial commission responsible for the Groningen dikes, was commissioned to repair the dikes. Van Seeratt, who was born in Sweden and had sailed the oceans for more than twenty years, had already warned in 1716 about the poor condition of the Groningen dikes. His warnings were ignored, with dire consequences. who was born in Sweden and had sailed the oceans for more than twenty years, had already warned in 1716 about the poor condition of the Groningen dikes. His warnings were ignored, with dire consequences. who was born in Sweden and had sailed the oceans for more than twenty years, had already warned in 1716 about the poor condition of the Groningen dikes. His warnings were ignored, with dire consequences.