Thousands of people in the east of England have been told to evacuate their homes and move treasured possessions to higher ground before tomorrow morning in advance of a devastating storm surge.

Some 10,000 homes and businesses will be affected, according to the Environment Agency, which has issued seven severe flood warnings for people living on the Norfolk and Suffolk coast near Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft.

Environment Secretary Hilary Benn warned the Commons of a potential serious flooding risk on the east coast in the next 48 hours.

Sea levels will surge to three metres above usual tidal levels as a result of north-westerly winds and a pocket of low pressure.The wind, which the Met Office predicts will blow up to 60mph, will funnel water from the wider part of the North Sea in the north to the narrower part in the south, causing a build-up that will arrive on the Norfolk coast between 7am and 9am tomorrow. The winds will be compounded by low pressure, which causes sea levels to rise. If pressure decreases by one millibar, the sea level rises by one centimetre.

David Britton, of the Met Office, said that there would be a "significant tidal surge" that will cause some areas to see the highest tides since 1983. "It will run down the east coast of the UK, around the Dover Strait and back up around Belgium," he said. "It will be comparable to the floods of 1953, which were caused by a storm surge."

The 1953 floods, which were more severe than the ones forecast for tomorrow, claimed the lives of 300 people in Britain and thousands in the Netherlands. Damage to British property ran to £5 billion in today's money.

Mr Britton added: "We're expecting significant winds of up to 60mph running down parts of the North Sea. The storm surge will reach three metres at Sheerness in the Thames estuary - that is three metres above what would normally be caused [by tides caused by the moon]."

The floods would be worse if the surge arrived at high tide, he said. "The peak is happening just after low water. In 1953 the peak happened a couple of hours before high tide, so it was much worse. The low tide will mitigate the effects of the surge."

The Environment Agency said that residents in areas with a severe risk of flooding should evacuate and take measures to protect their property. The agency's worst case scenario predicts that 8,000 properties will be affected in the area around Great Yarmouth and 1,800 properties around Lowestoft.

Luke 21:25-28
And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

Source Times Online

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