'Killer Floods'?

Oh dear, what a shame, things don't seem to have turned out as catastrophically as the Daily Express predicted.

A HUGE tidal surge is approaching the east coast of Britain this morning. Hoards of onlookers gathered at the seafront at Lowestoft today as water levels crept up its sea defences. Residents said the sea was at least 5ft higher than its usual level by 7.20am. Shocked local Melanie Willett, 35, said: “I’ve lived here all my life and I’ve never seen the sea this high before. It’s unbelievable.

Not quite unbelievable. Had Miss Willett been born earlier than 1972 she might have been aware of the worst peacetime disaster to hit Britain, in 1953, when the floods on the east coast of England led to 307 deaths, 100,000 hectares of land under water and over £5 billion pounds worth of damage (in todays terms). In addition 1,800 people lost their lives in The Netherlands when 50 dykes burst.