Friday 9 November 2007

Norfolk Floods 1953 - 2007

Norfolk Floods

Ariel photograph of the 1953 flood of Great Yarmouth
Gt Yarmouth 1953 flood, Ariel Photograph

This ariel photograph was taken after the peak of the flood. It is a very scratched and poor quality thin negative, this is as much as I can get from it. What will Great Yarmouth look like in the morning?

I am here in Mid Norfolk, I am lucky I do not live on the coast anymore, but I grew on it. I will be saying up to hear what is happening as the night goes on. My farther Billy Bishop took part in a well known rescue at Cley - on - Sea in 1953. He died aged 96 in June this year. His account of the 1953 flood were terrifying. The tidal surge that is on its way at this moment is as large as the 1953 surge. It is 1.45am and the first road has just been closed due to flooding and there is another 5-6 hours to peak high tide. People are out sight seeing at the moment with young children in Gt Yarmouth, I hope people will take this seriously. I have posted a photograph of Gt Yarmouth after the 1953 Flood to show what happened then.

It is 4.18 am now and the coast road at Salthouse has just been closed. The local radio Norfolk is giving good coverage of the Yarmouth area, but nothing is being said of the North Norfolk area. The road at Walcott has is also closed now at 4.30am.

We seem to have had a lucky escape, compared with what could have happened. Poor Walcott seems to have been the worst effected place and Cromer lost a lot of its beach huts. The salt marshes at Salthouse and Cley are still flooded on 14th Nov.

2 comments:

Zoe's Knitting Bag said...

Hi Sue

The photo and your report are fascinating. Have you seen my report of what happened to us on this night. I was very frightened.
http://zoesknittingbag.typepad.co.uk/

Zoe's Knitting Bag said...

Hi Sue - the photo and your comment are fascinating. Have you seen my blog and my comments of what happened on last November?