Looking back on the tidal surge of 1953
On the 1st January 1953, a tidal surge swept across our region's coast from North Norfolk to Essex.
It washed away homes and destroyed lives.
At least 307 people across the UK died when the storm surge and high tide brought flooding on a scale never seen before and, up until now, never seen since.
In the East, the flood had a huge impact:
32,000 people were evacuated from the flooded areas
160,000 acres of land were inundated with sea water and not usable for several years
The damage was estimated at £1.2 billion at today's prices
The storm surge exceeded 5.6 metres or 18.4 ft above normal sea level
Improved flood defences mean that the impact shouldn't be as severe this time around, but people living in coastal areas should still keep an eye on the Environment Agency website.