Flashback to the 2013 storms at Snettisham
One of the hides displaced by the December storm surge at the RSPB's Snettisham Reserve. - Credit: Archant
December 2013 saw the most powerful storm surge since the floods of 1953 which claimed dozens of lives along West Norfolk's low-lying coastline.
A perfect storm of high spring tides, a deep low pressure system and gale-force winds sent the waves crashing over Snettisham's shingle sea defences.
The night of December 5 left the access track to the RSPB reserve washed away in places, demolished bird roosting banks and smashed hides to matchwood or left them teetering on a cliff-edge.
Snettisham's brackish lagoons - the remnants of quarrying works - were filled with salt water.
As the waters receded, the scale of the damage stunned staff and volunteers. The first priority was to repair the habitat, rebuilding roosting banks and other landscaping.
You may also want to watch:
Now the RSPB, which bought the former gravel pits in the 1970s, hopes to restore the habitat for the 25,000 people who visit the reserve each year.
Most Read
- 1 Revealed: The areas where Covid cases are still increasing
- 2 Man admits defrauding more than £1.3m from Norfolk firm
- 3 Tributes to much-loved Laura, 28, after Covid death
- 4 Man seriously injured after crash
- 5 'A lot of tears' as care home announces closure with 30 jobs lost
- 6 Shocking CCTV shows carer abusing woman with dementia
- 7 Warnings for snow and ice in place across region
- 8 Serial 'dine and dash' conman who fled hotels without paying is jailed
- 9 Six people arrested after man in 50s was stabbed in Norwich
- 10 Norfolk bowls star tests positive at world indoor championships