Two Dead as Britain Hit by Extreme Tidal Surge

Thousands of homes evacuated as water breaches sea defenses

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Phil Noble / Reuters

A man walks past a wave as it breaks on the promenade in Rhyl, north Wales December 5, 2013.

A massive storm with hurricane-force winds clobbered the U.K.’s eastern coastline on Thursday, resulting the worst tidal surges in six decades and extensive flooding.

According to the BBC, the country’s Environmental Agency has issued more than 60 flood warnings in the wake of the storm. Two people have reportedly been killed in accidents caused by the inclement weather.

“We think the surge could be equal to if not worse than the one that brought such disaster 60 years ago [when 307 people died and 40,000 were left homeless],” Environment Agency flood risk manager Philip Rothwell told the Daily Mirror.

Authorities have evacuated tens of thousands of homes along the U.K.’s eastern coast as waters continue to rise.

[BBC]