Thousands of people in Britain are returning to their homes after the “most serious” tidal surge in 60 years hit the east coast.
A major clean-up operation is under way after the largest North Sea surge since the devastating floods of 1953 hit the north Norfolk coast early on Thursday evening and headed south throughout the night.
The fierce Atlantic storm – which has claimed two lives – caused widespread disruption with more than 10,000 homes on the coast earmarked for evacuation on Thursday.
The Environment Agency (EA), which described the tidal surge as “the most serious” for more than 60 years, said there was “a vastly improving picture” yesterday as flood waters receded in many affected areas.
The EA said its flood defences had protected at least 800,000 homes and it had issued warnings to 120,000 properties.
However an estimated 1,400 homes were flooded, including 300 in Boston, Lincolnshire, one of the worst affected areas, the EA said.
Devastated residents in Hemsby, Norfolk, watched their cliff-top homes disappear into the sea as the tidal surge hit last night.
Five bungalows fell into the water as the high tide eroded the cliff below, while dozens of residents formed a human chain to help salvage the possessions of those affected.
In Boston, more than 250 people were taken to evacuation centres, and 200 were reported to be at a centre in Clacton-on-Sea in Essex.
Many people living in the area around the town’s train station had to leave their homes or take shelter on upper floors as water swept through houses last night.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said two women, two young babies in pushchairs and a dog had been rescued after being hit by a large wave at Louisa Bay in Broadstairs, Kent.
The MCA said Dover Coastguard received a 999 call from a member of the public who spotted them in trouble as they walked along the promenade.
The Margate Coastguard Rescue Team was sent to the scene and found the group sheltering behind a nearby container. One of the rescue officers managed to guide them to safety in between the waves crashing over.
Two people are known to have died in Thursday’s storms, a lorry driver whose vehicle overturned in West Lothian, Scotland, and an 83-year-old man hit by a falling tree in Retford, Nottinghamshire.
Meanwhile, about 250 seal pups are thought to be missing from a breeding ground in Horsey, Norfolk following a second tidal surge this afternoon.
Record-breaking sea levels have been recorded along the east coast through a combination of large waves and a tidal surge, the EA said.
In Hull, sea levels peaked at 5.8 metres, the highest level seen by the East Yorkshire city since 1953, and 4.7 metres in Dover, Kent, the highest recorded there in more than 100 years.