Flood Scenes

On the night of 11th January 1978, a storm surge caused significant damage and coastal flooding from the Humber Estuary to Romney Marsh in Kent.

Due to extensive flood prevention work along the east coast following the catastrophic 1953 floods, the financial impact of the 1978 floods was much reduced although harbours, moored vessels, piers, roads and railway lines were severely damaged. The Ouse overflowed onto The Quays, leaving Kings Lynn town centre underwater and in Wells-next-the-Sea a 300-ton coaster was left stranded on Wells Quay car park when the waters receded.

At Wisbech in the Cambridgeshire fenlands, the River Nene burst its banks forcing over a thousand people to evacuate their homes, and dozens of brand new Skoda cars parked along South Quay at King’s Lynn were contaminated with sand and silt.