storm surges 1953 + 2013

Question 1

storm surge

Answer 1

a rise in sea level beneath a severe storm (low pressure system)
heightened waves are driven onshore by strong winds (a motion called wind drift)

Question 2

background the 1953 storm surges in east anglia

Answer 2

floods on 31st january affected large stretches of the east coast
labelled as a 1 in 50 year event
tidal surge down the north sea exceeded 5.6 metres above mean sea level
other large waves were generated by winds in the north sea

Question 3

why were no warnings given for the 1953 storm surges in east anglia

Answer 3

in the 1950s, there were no stations operating at night when warnings were needed
virtually no warnings were passed down the east coast due to phone lines being blown down the gales

Question 4

impacts of the 1953 storm surges (deaths)

Answer 4

307 people killed in England

19 fatalities in Scotland

Question 5

impacts of the 1953 storm surges (houses)

Answer 5

24 000 homes damaged

Question 6

impacts of the 1953 storm surges (homelessness)

Answer 6

40 000 people made homeless

Question 7

impacts of the 1953 storm surges (evacuation)

Answer 7

32 000 people evacuated

Question 8

impacts of the 1953 storm surges (area of land affected)

Answer 8

over 1600km of coastline damaged

160 000 acres of land inundated with sea water and not usable for several years

Question 9

impacts of the 1953 storm surges (infrastructure)

Answer 9

infrastructure including power stations, gasworks, roads, 200 miles of railways, sewage services and water services put out of actions

Question 10

responses to the 1953 storm surges (3)

Answer 10

an official service for forecasting flooding (the storm Tides Warning Service) established within the Met office

Thames Barrier was constructed

sea wall and groynes installed in sea palling

Question 11

background the 2013 storm surges

Answer 11

floods on the 6th december affected large area of the east coast
high winds led to a 7m surge
caused the worst flooding since 1953

Question 12

impacts of the 2013 storm surges (deaths)

Answer 12

two people died

Question 13

impacts of the 2013 storm surges (homes)

Answer 13

1400 homes flooded

Question 14

impacts of the 2013 storm surges (evacuation)

Answer 14

thousands of residents were evacuated in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Lincolnshire

Question 15

impacts of the 2013 storm surges (economic damage)

Answer 15

insurers calculated the cost of damage at £100 million

Question 16

impacts of the 2013 storm surges (environmental)

Answer 16

nature reserves were affected by floods (Snettisham in Norfolk)
freshwater habitats were polluted with salt water

Question 17

the future of storm surges

Answer 17

global warming and sea level rise will make the events such as the 1953 and 2013 storm surges more common and more destructive
the events will change from being every 50 years on average to every 20 years