In January 1953, the east coast of England was devastated by some of the worst flooding in recent memory. A number of extreme weather events combined to cause major flooding in areas throughout Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Kent and the outer Thames Estuary. 307 people died, 24,000 homes were damaged or destroyed and over 30,000 people were evacuated. Damage in monetary terms was estimated at over £5 billion in today's money.

What caused the flooding?

The 1953 floods were caused by a major storm surge which coincided with a naturally high spring tide. Storm surges are caused when air pressure and strong winds push a volume of water across large distances. The result is an elevated body or 'hump' of seawater which can move towards the coast and overtop sea defences. Small changes in atmospheric pressure can result in large volumes of water being displaced. The storm surge that caused the 1953 floods resulted in sea levels rising almost 3 meters above normal high water marks. Most sea defences along the east coast of England were not designed for such events and most could not prevent the oncoming wave of water.Sadly, many of the deaths caused by the floods could have been avoided if an effective flood warning system had been in place and communities had been given sufficient time to evacuate. At that time, forecasting technology was relatively primitive and there was no single body responsible for issuing flood warnings. Although many communities had emergency plans in place, by the time the threat of flooding became apparent communities could not be contacted by telephone as many of the phone lines had been brought down by the preceding gales. Some communities, particularly those in southern counties, had virtually no warning of the approaching floods.

Managing the Flood Risk

The tragic events of the 1953 floods not only highlighted the destructive power of storm floods, but also highlighted the problems associated with the existing flood warning system. Thankfully, lessons have been learnt from the disaster and improved flood warning systems are now in place. Today, the Environment Agency is the single body responsible for flood warning and flood defence in England and Wales. The Agency currently has an advanced warning system in place which aims to give homes a minimum of 2 hours notice before imminent flooding. In April 2000 the Agency established a National Flood Warning Centre in Surrey to provide a focus for improving forecasting, warning and communications to help people in flood risk areas.

It is hoped that an effective flood warning system, coupled with suitable levels of flood defence, will help give a high level of protection for those communities in flood risk areas, and help prevent the tragic events of 1953 from occurring again.

What can people at risk do?

Telephone the Environment Agency's Floodline on 0845 988 1188

Visit the Agency's Floodline webpages for information, advice and up to date information on current flood warnings.

Sign up for the Environment Agency's advance warning system - in many areas, people can receive warning automatically by telephone voice messaging.