UK and Germany experience storm surge flooding after Hurricane Gonzalo

Hurricane Gonzalo, or at least what is left of it, has caused storm surges and coastal flooding in parts of northern Europe over the last few days.

Gonzalo has left a trail of destruction behind from Bermuda to Canada and on to UK and other parts of northern Europe, including Ireland, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany and Denmark.

On Monday 20 October, Gonzalo hit Ireland and the United Kingdom with winds of 159 kph (99 mph) was reported on the Isle of Wight, according to the BBC. Around 600,000 homes were left without power at one point. Three people have been killed in the storm (1 in UK and 2 in France), and several others left injured.

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Storm Surge

The storm also brought with it high waves and tidal surge in UK, Germany and Netherlands.

UK

In the UK, Liverpool saw storm surge levels of 1.50 metres on 21 October and Lowestoft in East Anglia saw 1.72 m on 22 October. Flood warnings were issued for much of England's east coast and some minor flooding was reported in Haddiscoe, Walberswick (near Southwold), Beccles and Ipswich. All flood warnings have since been removed.

Germany

n Germany, the Hamburg Fischmarkt was flooded once again, bringing back memories of the tidal surges in northern Europe during December 2013.

Da haben Hamburg & ich Glück gehabt! Nur der Fischmarkt war überflutet und meine Pfoten blieben trocken. #Sturmflut http://ift.tt/1uKIgoH

- Lotti (@DieLotti) October 22, 2014

Bremerhaven also saw some flooding.

#Sturmflut in #Bremerhaven #Gonzales @Kachelmann http://ift.tt/1z1eEdv

- Unwetteralarm (@unwetteralarm) October 22, 2014

A little further along Germany's North Sea coast, Cuxhaven saw a tidal surge of 2.73 m on 22 October.

On Friday and Friday night, Gonzalo passed directly over Bermuda on Friday 17 October as a Category 2 hurricane, with winds of 160 kph (100 mph), the strongest storm to hit Bermuda since Fabian in September 2003.