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| High tides puts pressure on coast | |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Parts of Great Yarmouth are seeing some flooding as the highest tides for 50 years threaten the east of England. | |
| Thousands of people have been evacuated, roads into the Norfolk town have been closed, and the road at South Quay is reportedly flooded. | |
| The Environment Agency said surge levels were expected to be nearly 8in (20cm) lower than originally feared. | The Environment Agency said surge levels were expected to be nearly 8in (20cm) lower than originally feared. |
| Parts of Lincolnshire, Essex, North Yorkshire and Kent are on alert but the agency had no reports of new flooding. | Parts of Lincolnshire, Essex, North Yorkshire and Kent are on alert but the agency had no reports of new flooding. |
| Emergency meeting | |
| In Suffolk, the sea has nearly reached houses in Walberswick, while water is seeping underneath wooden sea defence gates in Felixstowe. | In Suffolk, the sea has nearly reached houses in Walberswick, while water is seeping underneath wooden sea defence gates in Felixstowe. |
| The Environment Agency has urged people in north Kent, round to Sandwich and Deal, to be vigilant. | The Environment Agency has urged people in north Kent, round to Sandwich and Deal, to be vigilant. |
| In London, the Thames Barrier was being closed on Friday morning. The Thames has been declared all clear. | |
| I hope our defences can cope but this is a pretty severe weather event and some of them may not Baroness Young Environment Agency class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/7086185.stm">Benn urges calm over surge class="" href="/1/hi/uk/7086224.stm">Threat to England and Wales | |
| It has contacted Dover District Council to warn that vehicles parked at Sandwich Quay are in danger of being damaged by floodwater. | |
| Felixstowe docks closed are closed, and rail company One has suspended services between Lowestoft and Norwich due to flooding on the line. | |
| Water levels were almost reaching the top of road bridges across the River Yare in Great Yarmouth, according to witnesses. | |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown chaired an emergency Cobra committee meeting at 0600 GMT on Friday. | Prime Minister Gordon Brown chaired an emergency Cobra committee meeting at 0600 GMT on Friday. |
| Phil Rothwell, head of flood policy at the Environment Agency, said the surge was about the same level as the devastating 1953 flood but that technology and sea defences had improved since then. | |
| He said: "It looks to be about 20cm lower than we originally thought, judging by what's happened slightly further north. However, that's still above the crest height of some of the sea defences." | |
| Tidal surge | |
| Earlier on Thursday, Environment Secretary Hilary Benn said: "There are RAF helicopters on standby, fire service pumps are going to be moved into East Anglia, the Environment Agency obviously has got people on patrol. | Earlier on Thursday, Environment Secretary Hilary Benn said: "There are RAF helicopters on standby, fire service pumps are going to be moved into East Anglia, the Environment Agency obviously has got people on patrol. |
| "So everything that can be done is being done, what no-one can predict with absolute certainty is exactly how the storm surge is going to affect particular areas." | "So everything that can be done is being done, what no-one can predict with absolute certainty is exactly how the storm surge is going to affect particular areas." |
| The Environment Agency has eight severe flood warnings,12 standard flood warnings and 23 flood watches in place, mainly in East Anglia, the north east of England and along the south coast. | |
| In London the Thames Barrier was closed late on Thursday. Tidal flood risk manager Andy Batchelor said it would contain the water and that the city was "safe". | In London the Thames Barrier was closed late on Thursday. Tidal flood risk manager Andy Batchelor said it would contain the water and that the city was "safe". |
| In the Humber region, lifeboat crews are on standby and the Environment Agency issued a flood watch along the Humber Estuary. | In the Humber region, lifeboat crews are on standby and the Environment Agency issued a flood watch along the Humber Estuary. |
| BBC News environment correspondent Sarah Mukherjee in Great Yarmouth said waters were about 6ins (15cm) from the top of flood defences. | BBC News environment correspondent Sarah Mukherjee in Great Yarmouth said waters were about 6ins (15cm) from the top of flood defences. |
| She said at Oulton Broad there had been some spillage over the defences but they had not been breached so far. | She said at Oulton Broad there had been some spillage over the defences but they had not been breached so far. |
| Environment Agency was very worried that sea defences would be breached, our correspondent added. | Environment Agency was very worried that sea defences would be breached, our correspondent added. |
| Roads closed | Roads closed |
| The flood alerts are a response to weather and tide patterns being tracked this week by the Environment Agency and the Met Office. | The flood alerts are a response to weather and tide patterns being tracked this week by the Environment Agency and the Met Office. |
| FLOOD ALERTS EXPLAINED Severe Flood Warning - Severe flooding is expected. There is extreme danger to life and property. Act now!Flood Warning - Flooding of homes and businesses is expected. Act now! Flood Watch - Flooding of low lying land and roads is expected. Be aware, be prepared, watch out! Source: Environment Agency Surge residents 'helpless' Housing flood fear 'ignored' | FLOOD ALERTS EXPLAINED Severe Flood Warning - Severe flooding is expected. There is extreme danger to life and property. Act now!Flood Warning - Flooding of homes and businesses is expected. Act now! Flood Watch - Flooding of low lying land and roads is expected. Be aware, be prepared, watch out! Source: Environment Agency Surge residents 'helpless' Housing flood fear 'ignored' |
| Environment Agency chief executive Baroness Young said: "I hope our defences can cope but this is a pretty severe weather event and some of them may not." | Environment Agency chief executive Baroness Young said: "I hope our defences can cope but this is a pretty severe weather event and some of them may not." |
| She also suggested that people make checks on elderly relatives and neighbours. | She also suggested that people make checks on elderly relatives and neighbours. |
| Speaking shortly after 0200 GMT, Supt Gavin Tempest told BBC Radio Norfolk the tide should have been out at that time of the day but waters had not receded and that "was an indication that reports from the Environment Agency were correct". | Speaking shortly after 0200 GMT, Supt Gavin Tempest told BBC Radio Norfolk the tide should have been out at that time of the day but waters had not receded and that "was an indication that reports from the Environment Agency were correct". |
| The roads around Great Yarmouth, the A47, the A12 and A1064, have been closed but police are allowing vehicles to leave the town along those routes. | The roads around Great Yarmouth, the A47, the A12 and A1064, have been closed but police are allowing vehicles to leave the town along those routes. |
| Hundreds of people are at five rest centres in Norfolk but there have been no evacuations yet in Suffolk. | Hundreds of people are at five rest centres in Norfolk but there have been no evacuations yet in Suffolk. |
| Thirty schools have been closed as a precaution in Suffolk, and Felixstowe Port has also shut. It is expected to re-open at lunchtime on Friday. | Thirty schools have been closed as a precaution in Suffolk, and Felixstowe Port has also shut. It is expected to re-open at lunchtime on Friday. |
| Speaking from one of the evacuation centres, the Marina Centre in Great Yarmouth, general manager Wayne Dixon said they had taken in more than 400 people and were now "over capacity". | Speaking from one of the evacuation centres, the Marina Centre in Great Yarmouth, general manager Wayne Dixon said they had taken in more than 400 people and were now "over capacity". |
| 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). | 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 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. |
| For more information on flood risks call the Environment Agency's Floodline on 08459 881188. | For more information on flood risks call the Environment Agency's Floodline on 08459 881188. |
| Are you in one of the flood areas? How are you preparing? Please use the form below to contact us. | Are you in one of the flood areas? How are you preparing? Please use the form below to contact us. |
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