♫ Claire ♫
The Tidal Surge at Gorleston - 9th November 2007
A predicted tidal surge in the North Sea sparked severe flood warnings and evacuations on England's east coast in November 2007.
So serious was the threat that Prime Minister Gordon Brown held an emergency Cobra committee meeting and the Environment Agency warned of "extreme danger to life and property".
Norfolk Police visited 7,500 homes in Great Yarmouth to advise residents to leave the area. They were told to stay with family and friends outside the borough, or to move upstairs.
Environment Agency chief executive Baroness Young said some of the flood defences in Norfolk and Suffolk might not cope with the expected surge.
"I hope our defences can cope but this is a pretty severe weather event and some of them may not.
"And indeed on our current predictions some of them may be overtopped - even if they do stand up to the wave and wind activity."
In London the Thames Barrier was closed late on Thursday and tidal flood risk manager Andy Batchelor said it would contain the water.
"The high water here is at 1am and the tide will gradually build up... but be contained by the barrier and the walls that lead all the way out to the outer estuary - so London is safe," he said.
Speaking after the Cobra meeting, Environment Secretary Hilary Benn urged people in the affected areas to remain calm.
"We are doing all that we can but we are just going to have to wait and see what happens as the surge makes its way down," he said.
Norfolk Police, Norfolk County Council and Great Yarmouth Borough Council evacuated people from care homes and hospitals.
Leisure centres in Lowestoft and Leiston, as well as Beccles Public Hall, were being used as rest centres.
Meanwhile, in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, sandbags were being prepared for homes and businesses.
Wind speeds exceeding 50mph (80km/h) were predicted, with the storm surge expected to peak at about 0430 GMT around Immingham, near Grimsby, and then at 0700 GMT on the East Anglian coast.
In a brief Commons statement on Thursday afternoon, Mr Benn said: "A tidal surge of up to 3m [10ft] is making its way down the North Sea which could coincide with peak high tides.
"There is a risk of flood defences being over-topped on the coast and in tidal rivers, especially in East Anglia, particularly the Norfolk Broads and the coast south of Great Yarmouth including Lowestoft, and areas south of this as far as the coast of Kent."
BBC weather forecaster Carol Kirkwood said "particularly high tides" were exacerbating the situation.
There are eight severe flood warnings, 10 flood warnings and 24 flood watches nationally, covering North Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and the north Kent coast.
The severe warnings in place from Great Yarmouth down to Shingle Street, and on parts of the River Bure, River Yare and River Waveney, carry an Environment Agency alert stating: "Severe flooding is expected. There is extreme danger to life and property. Act now."
Large parts of Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Kent were left under water in 1953, and 307 people died, when high tides and a storm saw a tidal surge of 3.2m (10ft 6in).
The Environment Agency said it was "much better prepared now", but the Met Office added that it was predicting the highest tide since 1983 in Felixstowe, Suffolk.
The Tidal Surge at Gorleston - 9th November 2007
A predicted tidal surge in the North Sea sparked severe flood warnings and evacuations on England's east coast in November 2007.
So serious was the threat that Prime Minister Gordon Brown held an emergency Cobra committee meeting and the Environment Agency warned of "extreme danger to life and property".
Norfolk Police visited 7,500 homes in Great Yarmouth to advise residents to leave the area. They were told to stay with family and friends outside the borough, or to move upstairs.
Environment Agency chief executive Baroness Young said some of the flood defences in Norfolk and Suffolk might not cope with the expected surge.
"I hope our defences can cope but this is a pretty severe weather event and some of them may not.
"And indeed on our current predictions some of them may be overtopped - even if they do stand up to the wave and wind activity."
In London the Thames Barrier was closed late on Thursday and tidal flood risk manager Andy Batchelor said it would contain the water.
"The high water here is at 1am and the tide will gradually build up... but be contained by the barrier and the walls that lead all the way out to the outer estuary - so London is safe," he said.
Speaking after the Cobra meeting, Environment Secretary Hilary Benn urged people in the affected areas to remain calm.
"We are doing all that we can but we are just going to have to wait and see what happens as the surge makes its way down," he said.
Norfolk Police, Norfolk County Council and Great Yarmouth Borough Council evacuated people from care homes and hospitals.
Leisure centres in Lowestoft and Leiston, as well as Beccles Public Hall, were being used as rest centres.
Meanwhile, in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, sandbags were being prepared for homes and businesses.
Wind speeds exceeding 50mph (80km/h) were predicted, with the storm surge expected to peak at about 0430 GMT around Immingham, near Grimsby, and then at 0700 GMT on the East Anglian coast.
In a brief Commons statement on Thursday afternoon, Mr Benn said: "A tidal surge of up to 3m [10ft] is making its way down the North Sea which could coincide with peak high tides.
"There is a risk of flood defences being over-topped on the coast and in tidal rivers, especially in East Anglia, particularly the Norfolk Broads and the coast south of Great Yarmouth including Lowestoft, and areas south of this as far as the coast of Kent."
BBC weather forecaster Carol Kirkwood said "particularly high tides" were exacerbating the situation.
There are eight severe flood warnings, 10 flood warnings and 24 flood watches nationally, covering North Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and the north Kent coast.
The severe warnings in place from Great Yarmouth down to Shingle Street, and on parts of the River Bure, River Yare and River Waveney, carry an Environment Agency alert stating: "Severe flooding is expected. There is extreme danger to life and property. Act now."
Large parts of Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Kent were left under water in 1953, and 307 people died, when high tides and a storm saw a tidal surge of 3.2m (10ft 6in).
The Environment Agency said it was "much better prepared now", but the Met Office added that it was predicting the highest tide since 1983 in Felixstowe, Suffolk.