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British flood fears recede but warnings in place across Europe
London (AFP) Nov 9, 2007 The threat of serious flooding along England's east coast receded Friday after officials said the main tidal peak had passed, although storms were still causing problems elsewhere in Europe. "The risk of flooding has diminished and the outlook is for tide levels to fall," said a spokesman for Britain's Environment Agency, as hundreds of people evacuated from their homes were allowed to return. High seas still threatened Belgium, Germany, Norway and Sweden, while in the Netherlands, the giant surge barrier in the port of Rotterdam was closed for the first time since its construction in the 1990s. By Friday afternoon, the Netherlands reported that the flood threat had eased, with no major damage reported after dykes and other protective measures were closed to protect the country, a third of which is below sea level. In neighbouring Belgium, 10 ships trying to enter or leave the port of Antwerp could not do so due to high seas whipped up by strong winds on the North Sea. In Norway, oil production was starting to return to normal after the storms forced the closure of a string of platforms, although BP's Valhall installation remained shut. US firm ConocoPhillips said it was to carry out inspections on seven platforms in the Ekofisk oilfield which were closed, but a spokesman could not say when production would restart. In Germany, winds gusted at speeds of up to 130 kilometres (80 miles) per hour along the North Sea coast between Bremen and the Danish border, while forecasters issued a severe weather warning. Local officials said that the River Elbe in Hamburg posed a flood risk, while some ferry services in the north were disrupted. The Port of Hamburg was partially flooded after water reached levels not seen in nearly eight years, according to local meteorological sources. Hafenstadt, a new deluxe residence and commercial area in Hamburg, was also partially flooded, but authorities received the alerts in time and were able to evacuate the area. Flood warnings were also issued in Sweden, particularly along the southern and western coasts. In Denmark ferry companies suspended connections with neighbouring Sweden and Norway, while strong winds caused disruptions to a number of the many bridges that link Denmark's islands together. Britain's Environment Agency had warned of "extreme danger to life and property" along eastern coastal areas and issued eight severe flood warnings. Prime Minister Gordon Brown chaired a dawn meeting of emergency planning committee COBRA, the second in 12 hours, while the Thames Barrier, which controls water levels on the river running through London, was closed. The level of the surge in Britain had been expected to be around 2.7 metres with a peak at around 0800 GMT but in practice there was only localised flooding on the east coast. Environment Agency chief executive Barbara Young said the East Anglia area of eastern England had come within a "whisker" of widespread flooding. Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links Weather News at TerraDaily.com
North Sea storm closes oil platforms, Europe's largest port
Oslo (AFP) Nov 8, 2007A brewing storm Thursday in the North Sea forced the closure of oil platforms off the Norwegian coast as well as Europe's largest port as British forecasters warned of the worst swells in 20 years. |
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