Essex: Service Remembers Great Flood

Survivors and relatives of those who died in one of the UK's worst peacetime disasters gathered in Essex to remember the floods of 1953.

Sixty years ago, the Great Flood battered the east coast of England as high spring tides, deep atmospheric low pressure and exceptionally strong northerly gales led to sea water surging over coastal defences and sweeping two miles inland.

By the morning of February 1st, the death toll on land was estimated at 307 in English coastal towns and villages. Many more died on the continent and at sea.

The Princess Royal attended a special service at Chelmsford Cathedral to mark the anniversary.

Smaller acts of remembrance also took place across Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex.

The cathedral event brought together survivors from Essex and further afield, including representatives from the Netherlands, where 1,800 people were killed.

Peter Martin, Essex County Council leader, said: "The flood disaster of 1953 was a tragic and terrible point in Essex's history, but it nonetheless is a tremendously important event that we should remember.

"Hundreds of lives were lost, families were torn apart and thousands of homes were destroyed.

"I hope everyone in Essex takes time to remember this day in our history."

Ray Howard Survived The Floods On Canvey Island

More than 60 people died on the stretch of coast between King's Lynn and Hunstanton in Norfolk.

About 24,000 homes were damaged and more than 30,000 people moved to safety.

More than 177 were lost at sea in fishing boats and more than 130 on the ferry Princess Victoria, which was sailing between Scotland and Ireland when she sank.

In Holland and Belgium the destruction was even worse, with more than 3,000 people killed.

More than 1,000 miles of British coast, from Shetland to Kent, was affected by the storm, which was caused by a severe depression.

David Kemp Is An Environment Agency Flood Resilience Manager

The Environment Agency said that, despite major improvements to sea defences and warning systems, 1.3 million people or one in 25 homes in England and Wales remained at risk of coastal flooding.

The situation is likely to be exacerbated in coming years as a result of climate change, the agency added.

It is urging anybody living or working along the coast to find out if they were at risk of coastal flooding and take precautions such as signing up to the Environment Agency's free flood warnings.

The floods were the catalyst for major flood defence investment, notably the Thames Barrier and Thames estuary defences which protect 1.2 million people.

Other schemes completed since 1953 include a scheme at Jaywick protecting 2,600 properties, a £6 million scheme at Canvey Island, and a beach replenishment programme to bolster 20km of flood defences along the Lincolnshire coast, protecting more than 23,000 homes.

In the last 10 years, more than £250 million has been spent on coastal defences in Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex.

Much of the investment has been focused upon areas where there was major loss of life in 1953.

The Environment Agency added that improvements in flood forecasting, including the use of tide, wave and weather data, meant businesses and emergency responders were now better prepared.

Some 1.2 million people are now signed up to the agency's automated flood alerts.