Boathouse and Yacht Harbour in Wisbech

Image: © Richard Humphrey Taken: 6 Dec 2013

The entire east coast was battered by a 1-in-60 year tidal surge on the night of Thursday 5th December 2013. A combination of a spring tide, 60 mph winds and a North Sea tidal surge caused the highest tides in over 60 years. Although Wisbech is 10 miles from the coast and 20 miles from the North Sea it is still a flood risk area as it sits on the banks of the tidal River Nene. After parts of the town were flooded in 1978 the height of the river banks was raised by about 1.5 metres, railings were replaced by flood walls and a series of flood gates were built. In the last few years the height of these defences has been raised again by another half metre and work is still ongoing today, replacing metal sheeting defences with concrete and brick walls along Nene Quay. Without these additional flood walls, Wisbech would have suffered severe flooding on Thursday, with the water level above the pre-1978 defences and half way up the additional flood walls. This photo was taken just before the next high tide was due on the following morning which was a couple of metres lower than the surge tide the night before.

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