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The Technical Explanation

Although our articles concentrate on personal memories of the flood, we felt that a brief technical explanation was called for in order to place he whole thing in context. So.. here we go...

So What Caused It All? 

Well, many people will sum it up in two words .... 'Storm Surge'. 

That's nice and simple... but, if they are talking about ALL the carnage in Whitstable during the early hours of 1 February 1953, I am afraid it's a bit more complicated than that. In fact, if I was a storm surge, I would consult my lawyer because I wouldn't be willing to accept all the blame! 

So let's take a look at the overall situation.

The Storm Surge

Yes... it did all start with a storm surge..... and it was one of the worst on record. So, what is a storm surge?

Storm surges are caused when a deep depression passes over a large body of water such as the North Sea. At the centre of the depression, air rises sharply creating low atmospheric pressure and generating strong winds that swirl around the eye of the storm. These effects cause the sea to rise beneath the depression and the wind may then drive the surge of water towards nearby coastlines. 

Of course, if there is no land in the way, a surge can peter out without too much consternation. However, the North Sea is a relatively small body of water and a severe surge can collide with the coastlines of Britain and continental Europe within a relatively short space of time. It's impact can be more severe in areas like the Thames estuary which have 'shallow water' coastlines. In such cases, there is no buffer until the water hits the sea defences.  The situation can also be accentuated if the surge is funneled through a narrow waterway and, as we know, the North Sea does taper towards the English Channel.

The surge hits different coastlines at different times. In the case of a depression over the North Sea, the surge can sweep southward down the east coast affecting the North of England, East Anglia and Kent in turn. This is what happened in 1953... and it also swept down the coast of the continent causing severe damage in countries such as Holland.

Timing and Tide...

Timing is all important. If the worst of the surge hits the coast at low tide, there is less chance of a disaster. However, if it all occurs at high tide, the danger is vastly increased. Normal tides vary in height throughout the year and the worst case scenario crops up when a surge coincides with an exceptionally high tide.

In 1953, the surge hit Whitstable at virtually the worst possible time. 

Wind Direction & Wave Action

Well planned and maintained sea defences should cope with the rise in sea water of someone has got their maths right. However, there is also another factor to consider..... wave action. This can cause the sea to top the defences even though the height of sea walls is sufficient to cope with the general surge of water. It can also damage defences and open a path for more general flooding.    

Wave action is generated by wind operating on the surface of the sea. By their very nature, storm surges are invariably accompanied by high winds as air swirls around the depression. Wave action is at its worst when the wind is able to sweep unhindered across the sea for a very long distance before reaching the coastline. The most 'open' path is known as the line of maximum fetch. The most dangerous wind direction for Whitstable (ie our own line of maximum fetch)  is North/North Easterly. This angle enables the wind to sweep across open sea for many miles before hitting our beaches.

In 1953, the surge and tide was accompanied by these onshore gales from the North East. 

Pre-Incident Rainfall....

Another factor that can play a part is the weather in the lead up to the surge. I have a feeling that in 1953, the UK had experienced heavy rainfall and that rivers were running high. A storm surge of seawater can prevent rivers flowing into the North Sea when the surge hits the coast. This can cause secondary flooding of fresh water. As we have explained on some of our other pages, there is evidence to suggest that the Gorrell Stream topped its banks as far back as Belmont Road.

Sea  Defences

In modern times, sea defences are based on complex assessments of likely surges and wave action. Planning usually takes place well ahead of requirements. However, back in 1953, things were a bit less sophisticated. There was also another factor in play. The UK had been involved  in World War II and, during the conflict, resources had been devoted to protecting our shores from invasion rather than defending them against the forces of nature.

In the immediate aftermath of the war, money was in short supply and some sections of coastline around the UK were in need of attention. This may have played a part in Whitstable. Phil Page's article (Events of '53) mentions that 'seawater poured through and breached the partly completed new sea wall'.

Forecasts

Obviously, weather forecasts can't prevent a storm surge! However, they can prompt some emergency strengthening of defences and allow time for preparations that might just minimise loss of life, injury and damage. In the early 1950s, there was no way of predicting a storm surge with any real accuracy. Thus, the nation was caught totally unprepared. 

Communication

As I mentioned earlier, storm surges are likely to unfold gradually down the coastline. The 1953 tragedy actually caused the loss of a ferry in the Irish Sea, sank a fishing boat off the north of Scotland and then followed a path of destruction down the East coast. As one of the last ports of call, Whitstable would expect to get an increasingly accurate assessment of the situation as events unfold.

Not so! Communication systems were somewhat primitive compared to modern day mobile phones, broadband, satellites and TV. To add to the problem, some communication systems were damaged by the storm. 

As you look around the various articles and read the anecdotes, you will see just how unprepared the town was for the tragedy. Many people in flood zones were woken from their beds by a knock at the door or water pouring through the ground floor. Meanwhile, Natives living outside the danger zones didn't hear of the tragedy until they encountered road blocks the following morning.  

Time of Day 

The 1953 surge occurred during the night when people slept. This again played a part in hampering evacuations and delaying activity by the emergency service.

Putting It all Together

So, on the fateful night of 31st Jan/1st February, the God's contrived to produce the worst possible combination of atmospheric pressure, wind, wind direction and tide. This kicked it off. After that Whitstable Natives were at the mercy of limited weather forecasting, poor communications, inadequate sea defences and poor organisation.

Could It Happen Again? 

The fundamental mix of a high tide, wind, low pressure and storm surge is just as possible in the future as it was in the past. In fact, with global warming (which no-one seems able to predict with any certainty), some people are predicting more frequent storm conditions to go with the our rising sea levels.

On top of all this, we also have to consider that the Kent coast is sinking at a rate of approximately 1 ft per century. That's lightening pace for geologists and geomorphologists who are normally quite happy to deal in "millions of years"!

On the upside, we are now able to predict  surges with far greater accuracy. Communication technology is more sophisticated and resilient. We are also better informed regarding sea defence requirements and the need for contingency planning. 

If there is one thing that Whitstable Natives learned  back in 1953.... it was that one can never be complacent during man's ongoing relationship with the sea. 

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From the Simply Whitstable Web Site